Nottingham Forest's bid to sign George Boyd falls through at final hurdle
NOTTINGHAM Forest's bid to sign George Boyd fell through at the final hurdle last night.
The attacking midfielder was Alex McLeish's primary target during the January transfer window.
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George Boyd
The club are understood to have agreed a financial package with the 27-year-old for a three-and-a-half-year contract.
And he was in Nottingham last night for a medical, as the club looked to complete the move for the player who had previously been on loan.
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It was not officially confirmed why the deal collapsed but Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony claimed it was because the player did not have perfect eyesight during his medical and branded it "a total disgrace" after seeing his man return to London Road.
What is certain is that the transfer window seemed likely to end in disappointment for Alex McLeish.
The Reds boss had hoped to add three new faces to his squad before the window shut at 11pm last night.
But he will now have to turn to the loan market, after seeing his primary deal collapse.
Forest's attempt to make further signings was not fruitful, with Wolves knocking back a bid for defender Stephen Ward yesterday morning.
While Birmingham refused to budge on their stance over Chris Burke, who Forest had made two offers for.
And an audacious effort to bring Stoke City winger Michael Kightly to the City Ground also failed to come off.
It will have been a hugely frustrating day for McLeish, who had frequently spoken of the importance of strengthening his squad, if Forest hoped to make a push for the play-offs.
He will now have to rely on loan signings, with the emergency loan window set to open in a week.
There was one piece of positive news at Forest however, with Polish midfielder Radi Majewski putting pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
And Dexter Blackstock, who has himself just penned a four-and-a-half-year deal, believes it is important that the club are trying to tie their key players to long-term deals, with Chris Cohen also having committed his future to the club recently.
"Look at the first season we got into the play-offs," said Blackstock. "Lots of the players were tied to long-term deals. People had two or three years.
"That showed in the team spirit, because everyone knew they were going to be here long term.
"When you start off a campaign with a lot of players who are not sure if they are going to be at the club by the end of the season, it can cause you a problem.
"It can't help if you turn out, as a team, on a Saturday and half of the squad don't know if they are going to be at the club in the long term."
33 Comments
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by patbrett
Friday, February 01 2013, 9:44PM
“wingie? thingy? whatever his name is????”
by patbrett
Friday, February 01 2013, 9:43PM
“You Baggies, one word, Odemingie????????”
by Forest_mad
Friday, February 01 2013, 7:14PM
“Don't underestimate the Peterborough Chairman's role in this. Played brinkmanship with us and Palace to push the price up on the final day. Obviously knew about Boyd's eye problem but said nothing which questions the reason why Boyd's medical records were not available to our medical staff. The person I feel sorry for is Boyd himself who has been a pawn in all of this.”
by jillycarol
Friday, February 01 2013, 5:21PM
“Marksy...Your false identity as a Bristol City supporter would have been more credible had you spelt the name of their ground correctly!..Another sheep troll I guess?”
by Marksy
Friday, February 01 2013, 4:26PM
“I've never heard one like that before. Didn't sign a player because his eye's weren't up to scratch ?
I thought it was only Blackburn who were run by a bunch of chicken pluckers ?
On a serious note, you should have kept O'driscoll. We're well impressed at Aston Gate !”
by radcliffered
Friday, February 01 2013, 12:07PM
“What bothers me is not the fact we did or didn't sign Boyd but the manner in which we have dragged the name of Nottingham Forest into the mud again in the space of a few weeks. happy to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but there is now a catalogue of events behind these new owners that give cause for concern. If each one were viewed in isolation you might be a little perplexed but listed together things don't look at all good.
- We're going for an iconic manager, oh no we're not.
- Owners sign Jenas on loan without managers knowledge and lose it when he's not played.
- 3 year plan turns to a season long plan.
- Late payment of suppliers.
- We sack O'Driscoll out of the blue, sitting 1 point off the play offs.
- Deposing of cousin
- Sack Burt , Arthur (no tears on that one) and Clarke by letter.
- We're signing a top quality keeper, oh no we're not
- Denied earlier McLeish bust up.
- McLeish announces going to sign 3 on deadline day - owners have other ideas
- The well documented George Boyd fiasco
Have i missed anything?”
by Rolandxyzab
Friday, February 01 2013, 11:56AM
“I'm afraid to say that the Al-Hasawis have lost a lot of credit in my estime.
My opinion is that the way Boyd has been treated is shabby to the point of being unethical.
A medical surely takes place if the deal is nailed on and it remains to just sign the contract (doesn't it?). To me, that is a gentlemens' agreement. A gentleman does not break a gentlemen's agreement. End of.
To fail Boyd on a eyesight test (???) and then go back and ask for him on loan is completely incomprehensible. It is to me, at any rate.
I, on behalf of the Al-Hasawis, apologise to Peterborough F.C..
I also have to say though, that I agree with a couple of other posters on here today who have pointed out that MacAnthony has been playing the system and has now been caught with his pants down. Let's not forget the tone of his twitters published on this site over the last couple of weeks: condescending and sarcastic.
I feel for George Boyd, I really do. He chose Forest over his boyhood club and has been messed on from very high indeed.
Shame on the Hasawis in this case. And yes, it is OUR club, before and after them.”
by YouBaggies
Friday, February 01 2013, 10:41AM
“"Love is Blind", you Forest lot are certainly taking this saying to heart
I think you are missing the bit about, but they were happy to take him on LOAN.
This is going to end in court, with Forest paying for Boyd but he'll be playing for Palace.
But seriously by the support you guy's are showing the club on here and many sites on the web, you really are devoted to your club like all true supporters, so you are currently being let down.
It's time for some straight talking and the truth to come out.
The local journalists, NEP,BBC,ITV should get the answers to these questions and many more:-
Why did you sack the West Bridgford Three ?
What are the details of the deal by which you bought the Club?
Why is it OK to take Boyd on Loan, and not buy him?
What's the reasons for forming the company "Bay Bridge Development Ltd" ?
By doing this you can at least start to feel more confident in the new owners and the future.
Good Luck, I hope you've paid for Cox, we don't want him back………..”
by omega03
Friday, February 01 2013, 10:18AM
“..think I saw on this site some days ago about Boyd... someone quoted 100 goals in 388 games
better than 1 in 4... eyesight cannot be that bad....”
by siscoreddog
Friday, February 01 2013, 10:12AM
“.....club are making an a*****ment in ten minutes !! 10:15 am”