Tommy Watson ( ...off to Brighton)

[Father Jack Hackett]

• Been a very well-run football club for well over a decade
• Good progression/assimilation into first-team football – quicker than many of the 'big' clubs
• They seem to 'coach' players up – many have gone onto bigger things elsewhere
• Location (it's a lovely part of the UK to live in)
• Established PL club
• Can offer PL wages
• Regularly can offer European football (not every season, but they are there or thereabouts)

NB This list isn't exhaustive

It further illustrates how badly we were run the last decade or so. They were playing in an athletics stadium 14 years ago.

 

[Mackem2017]

Every deal is like that now tbf. Depends what the adds on are - appearances, national call up, etc might still be a good deal.

Yep same as Clarke, we need them to kick on and do well to get the extra money

 

[Spaceturtle]

Specifically...how are we missing out if we're getting top dollar for him when he's not first choice, has an injury and had 18 months left on his contract?

I can imagine these young kids are all mates. This kind of thing can become infectious. We don’t want them to see that the grass is greener. Certainly not to some Mickey Mouse club like Brighton. Granted they are well run and seem to have a really good recent transfer policy but that only makes my alerts go off more.

 

[Tony Towers Fanclub]

Once in their 122 year history (2022/23)

So, season before last. Hardly ancient history. And my comment said 'not every season but they are there or thereabouts' – finished in the top half of the table three out of four seasons. Perhaps the phrase 'prospect of' was missing.

 

[Mackem2017]

Weren’t they reporting yesterday we rejected £8m + £3m add ons?

Don’t think any of the media know the true details but some saying if we don’t get Adingra then they will have to up the bid.

 

[Hulkenburger]

Weren’t they reporting yesterday we rejected £8m + £3m add ons?

I read we rejected "up to" £12m yesterday. If we don't get the winger from them in return then they'll have to go higher than that.

 

[ShieldsBlackCat2015]

The player is more important than the cash. We can play Tommy. He can perfect for us. We can’t put the money on the team sheet.

 

[Tony Towers Fanclub]

I can imagine these young kids are all mates. This kind of thing can become infectious. We don’t want them to see that the grass is greener. Certainly not to some Mickey Mouse club like Brighton. Granted they are well run and seem to have a really good recent transfer policy but that only makes my alerts go off more.

 

[Spaceturtle]

We might not have a choice, if he goes it's because he wanted to

This is unknown though

The player is more important than the cash. We can play Tommy. He can perfect for us. We can’t put the money on the team sheet.

This

 

[Sneech]

It further illustrates how badly we were run the last decade or so. They were playing in an athletics stadium 14 years ago.

They have an owner who invested half a billion quid, but aye, your point still stands.

 

[TikaTakaTico]

Gutted about Watson, I really thought he was the one who could go on to have a top class career.....in my opinion his ceiling is far higher than Jack Clarke.

Just hope we put in a sell on clause, will be inexcusable not to and then see them selling him for £50-60m in a few years time.

We've barely seen him. He's nowhere near Jack Clarke's level right now, and is behind Mundle right now with good reason.
I don't want him to go, but Clarke had way more (and justified) hype around him at Leeds and he ended up in league one with us to get his career back on track.

They are taking a punt on him, if they do buy him there isn't that much to suggest he's going to be a big star.

I also still think this is just an agent playing silly buggers to get a new contract. I just can't imagine what Brighton think they are buying. Sunderland's 3rd best youth prospect?

Watson is a very good prospect but that's all he is at this point. Id like to keep him but if he wants away and won't sign a contract can't blame the club for trying to maximise what they can get for him.

If it's 12 mill
20+% sell on
Somehow managed to pull the Adingra loan off then we will have done very well imo

I don't really believe that this sale will happen. But I do understand why the club would find it hard to resist that sort of money. I do worry that Watson might regret it in a years time if he gets shunted out on loan.

 

[League Wan]

This is unknown though

This

It looks pretty obvious mine, no one's denying it.

 

[Spaceturtle]

They are just after a profit mate, that is the only way they can survive. They are not a big club. They were in the fa cup final in 1983. That’s it isn’t it?

 

[chriswallace85]

I do wonder if the similarities to Clarke boost people's opinion on Watson. It's very recent memory how good clarke was for us and Watson has shown he has potential to be like clarke. Watson has been good and done a job but for me I'd still have Mundle in over him when fit

That, and maybe the fact we had nowt coming through the academy for so long.

People get over excted. Ya'd think the bugger was a generational talent or the next Lionel Messi the way some are going on.

 

[arthursboy]

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Who knows if it’s bullshit or not

 

[Father Jack Hackett]

They have an owner who invested half a billion quid, but aye, your point still stands.

We were wasting Premier League money when they were mid table in League One, without a ground mate. Of course Bloom’s money has given them a huge leg-up but they have run their club properly, in stark contrast to us in that time.

 

[wayne entwhistle no9]

Anyone at Newcastle central station i think Watson is standing on platform. Not sure what that means.

 

[JL1985]

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Who knows if it’s bullshit or not

They aren't the most reliable source but he will be doing a medical today. It makes sense to do it even if an agreement isn't reached. Time is limited today.

 

[Fetch Fletch]

People calling Brighton tin pot need to give their head a shake.

 

[Chatty83]

We've barely seen him. He's nowhere near Jack Clarke's level right now, and is behind Mundle right now with good reason.
I don't want him to go, but Clarke had way more (and justified) hype around him at Leeds and he ended up in league one with us to get his career back on track.

They are taking a punt on him, if they do buy him there isn't that much to suggest he's going to be a big star.

I also still think this is just an agent playing silly buggers to get a new contract. I just can't imagine what Brighton think they are buying. Sunderland's 3rd best youth prospect?


I don't really believe that this sale will happen. But I do understand why the club would find it hard to resist that sort of money. I do worry that Watson might regret it in a years time if he gets shunted out on loan.

I don't know the lad so no idea what his mindset is like but not sure footballers think like that.

It might be a case that he sees this transfer as making him set for life and if he doesn't make it then at least he's financially sound.

Impossible to know how things work out in football though. Bridges looked set to be a superstar, got injured and had a basic career from there. Steele looked like he was destined for the lower leagues and has carved out a decent career for himself playing in the Prem.

You don't know how things are going to work out which is why I think a lot of players are happy to jump on the money as soon as it's there.