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Sat 9th June 2001 - City and the media |
| June Headlines |
Cardiff City have found themselves in the news over the last couple of days with the
signing of Des Hamilton, the missing out of Paul McLaren and the talks with Spencer Prior.
Here are some of the reports on the net about these stories. Bluebirds swoop for Prior - Manchester Evening NewsSPENCER Prior is on the verge of joining Cardiff City for a fee of £650,000. If he does, he will become the first player to leave Manchester City since Kevin Keegan took over from Joe Royle as manager. The Welsh Second Division side’s chase for the experienced 30-year-old central defender came a step nearer yesterday when they had extensive talks. Prior is seen by Cardiff chief and former Wimbledon ace Alan Cork as the perfect building block on which to build the Crazy Gang mark two. Cork’s bid is being bankrolled by ex-Dons supremo Sam Hamman, who has made up to £2million available for transfers as the Bluebirds bid to jump from the Third to First Divisions in successive seasons. Prior has extensive Premiership experience at four separate clubs, having played there for Norwich City, Leicester City and Derby County before arriving at Maine Road from Pride Park in a £600,000 deal. The defender was instrumental in pushing the Blues over the promotion finishing line at the end of last season, but has made just 33 starts in all competitions. He was a first team regular until December when losing his place to £3m Republic of Ireland international Richard Dunne. Cardiff’s main task was to persuade Prior that they are ambitious enough for him to drop into the Second Division and to show that they were capable of matching his salary. They had a head start in that their assistant manager Ian Butterworth used to play alongside Prior at Norwich City. PRIOR EYES BLUEBIRDS - www.mcfc.co.uk City have agreed a £650,000 transfer fee with newly promoted Second Division, Cardiff City for defender Spencer Prior. If the thirty year old former Leicester and Derby man can agree personal terms with the Bluebirds, then the deal could be completed by the end of the weekend. City swooped for the central defender in a £500,000 deal with Derby before deadline day in March last year to bolster their push for promotion to the Premiership. He made nine League appearances and scored three goals in his first season. The arrival of Republic of Ireland international, Richard Dunne in October limited Prior's opportunities and after a meeting with Joe Royle in May he was put on the list. He is now set to link up with Ian Butterworth, the Bluebirds assistant manager, with whom he played in his early days at Norwich City. The Welsh club, backed by former Wimbledon Chairman, Sam Hamman, have already signed defender, Des Hamilton from Newcastle and, under manager Alan Cork, who was also part of the "Crazy Gang", have ambitions for a second successive promotion. Prior set for Bluebirds move - TeamTalk.Spencer Prior could be set to complete a £650,000 move to Cardiff, after talks with The Bluebirds on Thursday. The 30-year-old Manchester City defender was transfer-listed by Joe Royle towards the end of last season after his frustration at his lack of first-team opportunities at Maine Road. Prior was strongly linked with a move to Nottingham Forest on transfer deadline day, but nothing came of it. Now, the defender could be poised to become the first casualty of Kevin Keegan's reign at Maine Road by completing a move to Cardiff for £650,000, having joined The Blues on transfer deadline day from Derby last year for £500,000. Cardiff were recently strongly linked with a move for Prior's defensive partner Andy Morrison, but have switched their sights to Prior instead. HAMILTON TO QUIT MAGPIES
FOR BLUEBIRDS - Sky Sports The former Bradford City midfielder will sign a four-year contract at Ninian Park subject to the successful completion of a medical. The 24-year-old has struggled to make an impact at St James' Park since his £1.5m move from Valley Parade four years ago. He was made available for transfer in February last year and spent loan spells at Norwich City and Tranmere Rovers, but neither club opted to make the move permanent. The one-time England Under-21 international made only 18 appearances for Newcastle, the last of them as a substitute in September 1999. MCLAREN PICKS OWLS OVER BLUEBIRDS - Sky SportsSheffield Wednesday boss Peter Shreeves has made Luton midfielder Paul McLaren his first summer signing. The 24-year-old, who was out-of-contract at Kenilworth Road, rejected an offer from Second Division Cardiff in order to move to the Owls. Shreeves has been forced to work within a severely limited budget as he prepares for the new season, but he believes McLaren will be a valuable squad member. "Paul will be a very useful addition to our squad. We have done our homework on him, and he is six-foot tall, strong and very competitive. He is certainly going to strengthen our midfield." McLaren, who also turned down an offer to stay with the Hatters, said: "I chose to come to Sheffield Wednesday because it is an enormous club. "My first task will be to get into the first team, and from there I will be aiming to help take the Club back towards the Premier League." |
Copyright Michael Morris 2001.
