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Owls: Green with envy - as rivals sign Sheffield Wednesday target
Addicks addition: Danny Green had attracted a Wednesday bid.
GARY Megson and Wednesday fans could be looking enviously towards Charlton Athletic now that the Owls’ possible promotion rivals have already made nine summer signings - including former Hillsborough target Danny Green.
Although Megson wants to bring in his own influx of players, so far there have been only two new arrivals: Rob Jones and David Prutton.
Neil Mellor and Jose Semedo could head his list of targets, but the Mellor deal with Preston seems to have hit a hitch, and Semedo’s future remains unclear though he is available on a free transfer.
Leicester winger Lloyd Dyer and Forest left-back full back Julian Bennett are among his other targets.
But while the Owls’ efforts to sign players have yet to blossom fully, and Megson is “excited” about their chances of succeeding, Charlton boss Chris Powell is happy to have made a flying start.
Powell believes that his club’s signings demonstrate how realistic they are about challenging for promotion - after the Addicks finished 13th last season, two places and one point above the Owls.
The Addicks manager said: “I think it shows our intention as a club, and the owners have backed me in regards to what players I would like to see at this club.”
Green was signed from Dagenham and Redbridge for an undisclosed fee after the Daggers turned down a bid from the Owls. Megson also wanted Rochdale right-back Scott Wiseman but he signed for Barnsley in an undisclosed deal.
Green, who comes from Essex, was on on Charlton’s book as a schoolboy but was rejected by them.
He said: “It’s great to be back home. It’s a bit of a dream to come back and sign a professional contract with Charlton.”
Jermaine Johnson’s signing of a new contract is a boost for the Owls after they missed out on Green.
James O’Connor and Lewis Buxton have also agreed new deals.
But Megson’s squad is still currently smaller than it was at the end of last season, when Tommy Miller and Richard Hinds were released.
Since then, Paul Heffernan, Tommy Spurr, Darren Potter and, yesterday, Gary Teale, have departed.
The Owls will know that considerable strengthening is required if they are to justify their standing as one of the bookies’ favourites for promotion.
Milan Mandaric has said that he will back Megson in the market - and the exit of several players inevitably reduces pressure on the wage budget.
Megson told The Star: “Before I left to go on holiday, I was given a wage budget by the board, which I accepted.
“Players needed to be moved on, to enable us to move others in.
“Paul Aldridge [vice-chairman] has done a terrific job in helping to move players on.
“In terms of the wage bill, there’s leeway to bring in players we want.
“Unfortunately, a couple who were on my list have gone elsewhere. We have to look at who we can get in, and there are one or two about which I am really hopeful.”
Megson is known to be keen on Mellor and Semedo.
It is also obvious that Mellor would be receptive to a move from Preston - and reports that he is on £9,000 or £10,000 a week are now understood to be inflated estimates.
While last season’s 20-goal ace trains with the Lilywhites, the Owls too have resumed work.
Megson said: “Everybody had an individual fitness programme to follow during the summer; they all seem to have followed them and have come back in remarkably good nick, apart from one, in terms of his weight.”
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Comments
There are 22 comments to this article
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JGKES
Monday, July 4, 2011 at 06:43 PMSeems like get what you can rather than who you want.If Mellor's 13 league goals constitute a goal ace then which word fits 2.5 million Mackail-Smith?So ace that Mellor was dropped or on the bench for half the season.Presumably the Preston manager's priority is to remove a stone of weight from his goal ace.
Strigidae
Monday, July 4, 2011 at 09:12 AMfor excited and optimistic read deluded and hopeful!!!
Strigidae
Monday, July 4, 2011 at 09:05 AMI am not worried yet, indeed I am excited and optimistic! Gotta agree with O20 at #10 and staffs at #19, not time to worry yet, and remember last year, very similar to Charlton this close season, they may have signed 9 no hopers who will always be strangers on the pitch, lets wait and see. Teams have snatched people up, but as has been said before there may be some gems out there waiting to see what happens who may soon be looking to the best prospects in our league. Quite right about Green, he had a good reason for signing for Charlton, and most players will choose Championship football, even with Barnsley over our pub league. It will happen.
staffsowl
Sunday, July 3, 2011 at 06:10 PMLast close season we were very active signing players early doors and look where that got us!!?? Patience ! you muppets!
handsworth
Sunday, July 3, 2011 at 10:51 AM8 Solihull Owl Please please do not mention Jeffers. I go to bed and wake up in a cold sweat having had a nightmare of the possibility he might return to s6. Does not seem to last long wherever he goes,including Australia
unitedowls
Sunday, July 3, 2011 at 10:14 AMDukeries Owl, he needs to go on holiday after all the gardening leave he was on before, it tired him out. But I bet his garden now looks like Chatsworths garden.
The Dukeries Owl
Sunday, July 3, 2011 at 09:52 AMMr Megson, may i respectfully make a point?. It appears as if Chris Powell at Charlton has almost signed an entire team while you have been enjoying your two weeks holidays. Do not later bemoan the fact that we could not get the calibre of player that was required. You had plenty of time for holidays before you joined us. In any other walk of life this would be seen as criminal negligence.
unitedowls
Sunday, July 3, 2011 at 08:01 AMI am sorry but I don't know why my previous post is on this story. But I do think Milan is holding back, because he sees Wednesday more as an investment to sell on, than a club he is going to plough a lot of money into. He got Wednesday for a bargain and has already made his money, all he has to do now is balance the books and wait until he can sell on.
unitedowls
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 05:23 PMKojam Even cockneys don't live in London anymore, they have more sense. The last time I went I thought I was in a foreign country. I totally agree that London unfairly gets too much of our tax payers money. There was a stockmarket in Sheffield in the 1930's and London created unfair rules to close it down, no wonder they have all the wealth down there.
unitedowls
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 05:23 PMKojam Even cockneys don't live in London anymore, they have more sense. The last time I went I thought I was in a foreign country. I totally agree that London unfairly gets too much of our tax payers money. There was a stockmarket in Sheffield in the 1930's and London created unfair rules to close it down, no wonder they have all the wealth down there.
mikydeewilliams
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 01:12 PMWhat's wrong with the Commodore 64????
mikydeewilliams
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 01:09 PMWhat's wrong with the Commodore 64????
(0v0)
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 12:15 PMMM and Megson are most probably in a hurry, but these things can take time. We are a first division club and not based in London, about 160 miles the wrong side of the Watford gap. It will always be difficult to get players to drop down a league and accept the wages we want to pay. It’s a bit of a no-brainer for Green who stated, “It’s great to be back home. It’s a bit of a dream to come back and sign a professional contract with Charlton”. Looks like Green was always going to go to Charlton. Scott Wiseman went to Barnsley because they are a Championship club. However, the transfer market will hot up over the next few weeks, a lot of players contracts have just finished and they will be looking for new clubs. All good things to he who waits, I don’t want Megson to sign someone, just for the sake of signing someone. We need to get the best players we can and that may take time.
Solihull_Owl
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 11:30 AMThere is a lot of hype on this site with comments about Megson having to sell to buy and denials this is the case by the board and speculation about mandarics willingness to spend post takeover. It seems to have been forgotten he brought in players in January, albeit not very successfully ones in the grand scheme of things. With the new wage rules in place there is a budget based on turnover which has to be maintaiined or face points deductions under new league regulations. Anyway I am glad players are leaving the ones who left are not upto scratch. On another note I amglad Megson has confirmed he is not after Scotland as from his own mouth.
Solihull_Owl
Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 11:22 AMWho remembers that old milk advert with the kid saying when he grows up he wants to play for accrington stanley. Was that kid not a scouser? Franny Jeffers anyone?
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