In the Championship – Quieter week for transfers
Last updated : 26 July 2004 By Tony Scholes
 | Leicester unveil their new signings David Connolly and Martin Keown |
|
Having completed the signing of one Leicester player last week in Danny Coyne we added another of their Premiership players from last season Frank Sinclair last Thursday as well as the capture earlier in the week of Micah Hyde.
Leicester themselves signed former Arsenal central defender Martin Keown and then followed that up by winning the chase to land West Ham striker David Connolly. They have also taken former Forest and Everton midfielder Scot Gemmill on trial.
But the Foxes did disgrace themselves this week by going ahead with a pre-season friendly against Franchise in Milton Keynes and this despite pressure from their Supporters Trust not to.
It was obvious one league club would eventually choose to play these pariahs and it was obvious one league club would ignore the wishes of its supporters – that club was Leicester City.
On leaving West Ham David Connolly, he always seems to leave clubs under big black clouds, was warning of a mass exodus from the Boleyn Ground as the Hammers look to cut their costs even further.
West Ham did turn down a £3.5 million bid from Crystal Palace for Michael Carrick and Marlon Harewood but if Connolly is right then that deal could still go through.
 | Andy Reid - critical of the club's lack on investment in the squad |
|
Andy Reid has turned on those running Nottingham Forest and has warned of another season of struggle if they don’t find funds for squad strengthening. He is repeating the words of David Johnson of a year ago and only a late rally saved them from the drop.
Brighton have made their first signing since winning promotion and have brought in Swiss born Italian Maheta Molango from German club SV Wacker Burghausen, Burnley’s first opponents this week.
Mark McGhee has had a difficult time strengthening his squad and the Withdean can hardly be a selling point when trying to bring new players in.
Another player coming into England is American Bobby Convey who has joined Reading from DC United and will be alongside fellow American Marcus Hahnemann in the Royals’ squad.
In other deals Mark Rivers has returned to Crewe, Georges Santos has signed for QPR and Leeds have completed the signing of their former striker Brian Deane after a successful trial.
Still on trial at the for sale Elland Road are Craig Hignett and Steve Guppy and both now look set to miss out on deals.
Meanwhile Darren Byfield has found himself a club – he’s signed for Gillingham. He must really be grateful for his agent who has managed to get him from Sunderland to Gillingham over the summer. What good business.
George Burley has been back to Spain and brought back with him a new midfielder in Inigo Idiakez, signed from Rayo Vallecano. That’s not bad after Director of Football Murdo Mackay said there would be no further signings.
Former Forest defender Jon Olav Hjelde is interesting QPR, Millwall would like to sign former England full back Graeme Le Saux whilst Paul Warhurst is training with Preston.
 | Jonathan Gould - on his way out of Deepdale |
|
It’s all good fun at Deepdale at the moment with goalkeeper Jonathan Gould having a transfer request accepted and Ricardo Fuller flitting between medicals and crisis talks.
Wolves are having nightmares with their latest Camara – Henri – and he has finally been forced to report back for training. Bolton made a small offer for him that angered Wolves and now West Brom look keen to sign him.
Millwall have said goodbye to Tim Cahill who had just one year left on his contract. He’s moved to Everton and it is looking now as if chairman Theo Paphitis is into his last year. The Kebab Seller is expected to leave next summer and move back into his women’s underwear.
Crewe still want Liverpool’s Neil Mellor on loan but they’ll have to wait a while now. He’s out for six weeks with injury and Dario G will hang on until he is fit again.
Rotherham have been dealt a blow with news that striker Martin Butler requires surgery on what they described as a ‘cartiledge’ injury. We believe it could be something to do with the knee.
And finally on the speculation front we can reveal that Martin O’Neill is weighing up and offer to take Cardiff’s Robert Earnshaw to Celtic.
This week, the Clarets could soon be playing a league game in ‘The Jaguar Arena’ after Coventry City won the biggest ever sponsorship for their new stadium. For now though it is still the delights of Highfield Road.
And finally, pity the poor Plymouth fans who were out in Austria to watch their team take on Blau-Weiss Linz only for it to be called off due to a waterlogged pitch. Instead supporters of the two clubs stripped down to their boxer shorts and played against each other in what was described as a friendly.
Hopefully things will be better for the Clarets this week and we can be spared the fans’ match – but should that happen we’ll report back next week in the Championship.