Boyd speculation continues as one player leaves

By Albatross
August 31 2004

If you believe the rumours, it's not a matter of if Adam Boyd leaves Hartlepool United, it's where to and for how much. Mick McCarthy's appearance in the Director's Box means the speculation about a move to Sunderland has hit high gear. One player though has definately left the club.

With the Hartlepool "we're not the Sunderland Echo honest" Mail having reported that Sunderland were about to make a bid for Boyd last week, the rumours reached fever pitch when Mick McCarthy was spotted at the win over Colchester. All the talk is of a deal being done for the Pools forward, with claims that the Mackems are about to offer £125K for the player.

There's no doubt that Boyd's start to the season has been impressive; he may not have sustained his scoring rate from the end of the last campaign, but he has hit the net three times, set up several goals, and generally looked our most potent attacking force. In many ways it would be a surprise if a club like Sunderland weren't keeping tabs on him. £125K though sounds like a derisory offer for a player that would in all probability fetch a heck of a lot more, even in today's transfer market. With rumour, speculation and misinformation though it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff.

For starters, there's the issue of whether or not Sunderland have actually made a bit - or if they are interested enough to make one. At the moment there's no official word from either club; and although that may just mean that negotiations are going on in private, it may yet be a case of putting two and two together and making five.

Then there's the issue of the fee. The article in today's Sunderland Echo (printed with minor variations in the Hartlepool Mail and South Tyneside/Shields Gazette seems to be saying that if things do go to a tribunal at the end of the season, the fact that Pools haven't offered Boyd a contract would count against us. Which has an element of truth - but just because Pools didn't offer Boyd a contract at the end of last season doesn't mean that they won't. Boyd can't sign a pre-contract agreement until he is in the last six months of his current contract, with the fee going to a tribunal if nothing is agreed; meanwhile, Pools have the best part of four months to come up with an offer to the player and at the moment it looks inconceivable that we won't - unless a large offer comes in before then. Meanwhile there are other names being mentioned - Cardiff, who have just sold Robert Earnshaw, being one.

One interesting snippet is that Sunderland may be prepared to offer Chris Brown to Pools in Part Exchange. Brown had a highly successful spell at Doncaster last season - a Donny season-ticket holder of my acquaintance described him as being tall, good in the air and with good close control - in short the sort of player that Cooper might be interested in. Doncaster fans would certainly have him back! Certainly it would sweeten any deal somewhat - although whether the player would be on offer and how much Sunderland would value him at are again open to debate.

The problem with this speculation is that until a formal announcement is made, only a very few people will be in the know - and as yet the sources that generally seem to know these things are keeping their own counsel.

One player who is leaving Pools though is Ryan McCann. McCann arrived from Celtic at the start of last season, picked up an injury before he had a chance to establish himself, and has struggled to get beyond the reserves ever since. With Pools having a number of options in midfield already, McCann's opportunities were so limited that most fans would struggle to pick him out in an identity parade - and so his contract has been cancelled by mutual consent and he is apparently to sign for St Johnstone in the Scottish League Division 1. Does this mean that Cooper has a little more leeway in his wage budget? Will this mean the permanent signing of Betsy, or someone else coming in? Watch this space....