Beckett

[Angell Delight]

He's actually younger than I thought, he's not 29 until November yet it seems he's been around for a very long time. He was if I remember correctly Dudfield's strike partner during Chesterfield's promotion season in 2000/1 (he got their 2 goals at Roots Hall during our 3-2 win that season). Can't believe Sheffield United haven't given him a chance, Warnock must think a lot of his strikeforce!

Obviously £200k is a lot of money to spend on one player at L1 level (highest in the division so far this summer if it comes off I believe) but as signings go he would be a sensational one, you'd only have to look at his record (particularly from 2002/3 onwards) on the squad profile below - his loan spells in L1 last season were especially impressive and remember he has also scored goals at Championship level a couple of years ago with Stockport. Most Oldham fans believed him to be the best goalscorer in L1 last season (and hopefully he will be again if he signs) and were tipping him to get between 25-30 next season when they believed he would sign permanently for them.

One thing I noticed however is that on the bbc boards someone mentioned about him having had 2 serious long-term injuries, now I know he had one which he recovered from about 18 months ago at Stockport but did he also have another as I can't recall it? Usually spending big money on someone who's had 2 serious injuries is extremely risky but I think in Beckett's case it is well worth the risk given his exceptional goalscoring record which can surely not be bettered by any other striker in L1 - pairing him with Freddy would form by far the best partnership since the days of Collymore-Angell  

Would the fact that Beckett has had 2 serious injuries though concern anyone on here? Obviously the club take out insurance on players incase of injuries that force premature retirement (a la Mike Marsh) but how much do the club really get back if the worst happens? Should point out that Beckett has proved over the past season that he is back to absolute full fitness and theres no reason to suggest his problems aren't fully behind him (his goal record suggests this is the case!) but his move to Hull early last season did by all accounts break down over his medical. There have been plenty of transfers to break down on medical grounds who have subsequently gone to other clubs and had absolutely no problems but would anyone on this board be concerned about Beckett's history given the size of the fee?

Beckett profile

 

[Andy_S]

I can't believe we'd spend £200,000 on one player personally. IF we do get Beckett then I'd imagine it to be £110,000 or so with certain add ons.

Well spotted on the point he was Dudfield's striker partner all that time ago, I don't believe anyone thought about that!

As for the injuries, looking on soccerbase, the injury he had not the season just gone but the season before is the only one that stands out. In all his other seasons he appears to have played a lot of games, so like you I can't recall another serious injury he has had. The Oldham fans do seem very bitter though, and he hasn't even turned them down yet.

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

We are all so desperate for that sgning....


....c'mon Tilly help us out

 

[MrB]

Well 'the next few days' is due to expire tomorrow so fingers crossed.....

 

[Guest]

Surely we will make at least one signing this week, even if it's not the elusive striker we seem to have been tailing since early June...! If we don't then worry may start to creep in....

 

[Angell Delight]

Quote[/b] (Whatever @ July 10 2005,21:21)]Surely we will make at least one signing this week, even if it's not the elusive striker we seem to have been tailing since early June...! If we don't then worry may start to creep in....

I believe the winger will sign this week, I reckon IMHO we won't know for sure about Beckett for at least another week.

Andy_S I would tend to agree with you cash wise that anything just over £100k would be more likely but the fact remains that Sheffield United have rejected offers of £150k and a source close to Oldham's board have indicated Warnock wants £200k and if thats true it must be somewhere between £150-200k.

 

[EastStandBlue]

The BBC Board where the Oldham Director information came about did mention we had chartered a bid for 200k, which if he stays injry free would be money well spent. Both Beckett and Eastwood, on top of their game, are 20+ Goals-Per-Season men which at that level is vital.

I fully believe that if we sign him, then a relegation battle turns into a Mid-table - Potential Play-off space scrap, which would be a blessing to the clubs finances, appeal to other players, and Staidum plans...

Onwards and Upwards?... Most definitely

 

[rabbloke]

It does not necessarily follow that both Beckett and Eastwood would be 20+ a season men. That would suggest twice the service and both men having equal share of the opportunities. Eastwood did well last term as the sole top striker. If he were not the only front outlet he may not fare so well. The same for Beckett. I do however feel it would be a mouthwatering prospect to have them together. It may fall flat though unless for some unknown reason like new signings the service does not improve dramatically from last term. Perhaps we should temper our excitement over who the new striker is until we hear that we have also purchased a damn good play maker.

 

[sufcintheprem]

Quote[/b] (rabbloke @ July 10 2005,23:10)]a damn good play maker

IMO, we have one who's just come back from long term injuries.

Personally, I'd like to see a winger with pace arrive. Grnated we may not be the biggest up front but it would help stretch teams and give Eastwood and Gower more room to operate.

 

[fbm]

Chatted with a mate about Beckett last night... he is of the opinion (and I agree) that Beckett (or his agent) is using us to beef up another offer from elsewhere. I cannot see why he would want to suddenly come down south to join us when there are several northern (and probably "bigger") clubs than us in the chase.

 

[Stats]

IMHO Angell Delight has nothing better to do than write numerous posts on this site about Luke Beckett

Then again suppose AD has a lot of time on his hands as he cant be bothered to get a job

AD is a disgrace

 

[Shrimpbizkit]

Beckett would be the difference between a relegation struggle and the top 10 if he can stay fit. His record last season on loan at Oldham and Huddersfield was pretty phenomenal. I only worry that he must be on a decent wage at Shef Utd and the fact that he is a Northern lad through and through. Give Tilly a knighthood if he pulls this one off.

 

[Angell Delight]

Quote[/b] (statski77 @ July 11 2005,08:55)]IMHO Angell Delight has nothing better to do than write numerous posts on this site about Luke Beckett

Then again suppose AD has a lot of time on his hands as he cant be bothered to get a job

AD is a disgrace

Last time I checked statski I had a job - plus another one on more £££ in the pipeline!

You're just bitter after what I did with your jacket Friday night (and have been since then!

).

 

[rabbloke]

Do we really want Beckett? He is 28/29 years old, hails from north of the Watford Gap and is likely to be on megabucks wages. He seems to be everything that Tilly does not buy. Why change now? Even if Dudfield stays we are going to need two strikers, at least one with experience and the other a young gun learning his craft. There seems to be a certain harmony about the team at the moment and I do not believe Beckett and his bucket of cash wages will engender the feel good factor.

 

[TrueBlue]

Quote[/b] ]hails from north of the Watford Gap

why should that be a problem!
sure you agree with his hair colour?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Quote[/b] (rabbloke @ July 10 2005,23:10)]It does not necessarily follow that both Beckett and Eastwood would be 20+ a season men. That would suggest twice the service and both men having equal share of the opportunities. Eastwood did well last term as the sole top striker. If he were not the only front outlet he may not fare so well. The same for Beckett. I do however feel it would be a mouthwatering prospect to have them together. It may fall flat though unless for some unknown reason like new signings the service does not improve dramatically from last term. Perhaps we should temper our excitement over who the new striker is until we hear that we have also purchased a damn good play maker.

Good logic - although it doesnt necessarily follow. Its quite possible that the chances/minutes on the pitch ratios of Eastwood, Gray and Dudfield were quite similar last season, but Eastwood needed less chances to score, and was on the pitch more so he scored more goals...

If both he and Beckett were up top for the lions share of the season I'd be confident in both of them getting 20 goals.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Quote[/b] (Angell Delight @ July 11 2005,09:32)]You're just bitter after what I did with your jacket Friday night (and have been since then!

).

 

[Angell Delight]

Quote[/b] (Spaceman Spiff @ July 11 2005,10:35)]If both he and Beckett were up top for the lions share of the season I'd be confident in both of them getting 20 goals.

Me too. For the record it seems Beckett is on £2,000 p/w at Brammall Lane and any suitors will be asked to match his current wages. It will obviously make him the highest-paid player at the club but IMHO the money he's on is well worth it and we have to pay this sort of figure if we want to continue to progress as a club.

When you think about it a few years ago Scott Houghton was on £1,800 p/w here and we released him because of this to trim the wage bill. However there were at least 4 or 5 others who were on similar or more at that time too who were also dispensed with but the contrast in quality couldn't be more different. In late 90's-early 2000's we were paying large wages for cr@p players, Beckett on the other hand is a very different matter. Obviously we need to be sensible wage-wise and not get ourselves into the sort of problems we had a few years back but to grow as a club we MUST realise we need to pay slightly higher wages - I'm confident with Uncle Ron that he'll get that balance absolutely right. IMHO Beckett is well worth £2,000 p/w.

By the way it seems the fee is around £175k.

Blues in for Beckett

 

[gazzacat42]

The big rumour is that Beckett will struggle to pass a medical.

Not too sure if this is stating the obvious but quite a few clubs seem interested without putting in definate bids.

 

[Scamps]

Still think we should go for Neil Harris and i think it would be money well spent.