Freebies!

[The Prisoner]

If you've ever played Footy Manager and had bugger all cash to spend you'll have doubtless trawled the free transfers to see what you could pick up! Never thought you could do it in reality tho! Let's face it.....this is what Brian McD might be limited to this summer unless we cash in on Shane etc. Either way there are some good players.

http://www.givemefootball.com/pfa-transfer-list

Fascinating list from the PFA's website....and you can even make an enquiry if you want them to come play for you!

Notable names on the list for me include Giles Barnes (lost his way at WBA, but remember him at Derby? only 22 still), John Carew (probably couldn't afford him, but only 31), Danny Gabbidon (again only 31), Eidur Gudjonsen (Iceland!), Diamonsy Kamara, Seb Larsson, Benny McCarthy, Nigel Reo-Coker (his buddies Jobi and Mikele are here!), Jonathan Spector (only 25 - seems like he has been around for ever), Danny Webber. I'd happily see any of them play for us. Anyone I've missed? Might not all be affordable, but who knows......

There are loads of Reading rejects on there (Alan Bennett, Joe Gamble, Lloyd Owusu, Bas Savage etc) as well as the likes of Lee Bowyer, Kevin Phillips and Keiron Dyer who are past it and/or too injury prone (?!).

Not sure how up to date the list is...one or two of these players have signed for new clubs I think. I haven't included Jay Bothroyd for example as a) he is signing for Everton (?) and b) he is a cheating toss pot.

An interesting way to kill 20 minutes if you want to take a look.

As an aside Liam Head is on there. I really did sign him in FM and he got 30+ a season. Albeit in the conference

EDIT: Realise there is a prem freebies thread....this site covers all leagues

[urz13]

Anyone I've missed? Might not all be affordable,

Jeremy Aliadiere is talented, could partner Hunt/Church...

[SouthDownsRoyal]

sos m9 but this thread deserves the dreaded

[The Prisoner]

sos m9 but this thread deserves the dreaded

feel free not to read it then. I found the PFA site interesting. Others might...other might not.

[urz13]

Anyone I've missed? Might not all be affordable,

Jeremy Aliadiere is talented, could partner Hunt/Church...

Jeremy Aliadiere he wont be coming to reading

I'm guessing you've heard this from you're 'mate' who works at reading?

[Snowball]

Alladiere. Sad to see what that guy did at his best and how he blew it = Francis Jeffers

Remember him and Baptista ripping Liverpool to shreds and scoring six

[Toon Toon Blue army]

Notable names on the list for me include Giles Barnes (lost his way at WBA, but remember him at Derby? only 22 still),

This is an interesting one. Whatever happend to him? I remember everyone was raving about him.

[pea]

er, He lost his way at WBA?

[Hoop Blah]

Notable names on the list for me include Giles Barnes (lost his way at WBA, but remember him at Derby? only 22 still),

This is an interesting one. Whatever happend to him? I remember everyone was raving about him.

Had a couple of serious injuries and he's never quite managed to bounce back.

He was going to be the next Gazza but so far he's not even got to be the next David Dunn. Still has time on his side IF he is physically capable, but I think he's just another example of unfulfilled talent.

[The Prisoner]

gonna bump this as this is where our new signing(s) - if there are any - are coming from. Know South down Royal will love that.

And WTF did Giles Barnes sign for Doncaster for?!

Marcus Bent, Sol Campbell, Darren Carter, Tom Cruise, Craig Fagan, Jason Koumas, James mcFadden, Stuart Parnaby and Boudewijn Zenden all still showing as available (tho some of the other players listed I know have signed for new clubs, so don't shoot me if this is wrong).

Knowing out look we will end up with Tamer Tuna.

http://www.givemefootball.com/pfa-transfer-list?name=FullName&page=1 if you want to look through the list

[Agent Balti]

That may as well have been in morse code.

[Wycombe Royal]

And WTF did Giles Barnes sign for Doncaster for?!

Because nobody else wanted him. He had trials at three or four clubs this summer before Doncaster finally gave him a 6 month deal.

[The Prisoner]

And WTF did Giles Barnes sign for Doncaster for?!

Because nobody else wanted him. He had trials at three or four clubs this summer before Doncaster finally gave him a 6 month deal.

Always thought he was decent, and just the sort of wounded animal we like. I guess with Kebe, McAnuff, HRK, Antonio and Obita he was a bit surplus.

[Svlad Cjelli]

The transfer fee may be a freebie - but most of them won't play for nothing too.

[stickywhisky]

we not getting any boby in affair

I'm not sure I follow?

[The Prisoner]

The transfer fee may be a freebie - but most of them won't play for nothing too.

A couple of these guys have found a home since this was written last week, but v int arctice nonetheless

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14399073.stm

Seasoned internationals among those struggling to find new club

By Ian Shoesmith
BBC Sport

Fewer than a quarter of players whose contracts ended this summer have found new clubs, BBC Sport has learned.

The Professional Footballers' Association website lists 338 senior and 200 youth team players as being available, compared to more than 700 at the start of the summer.

Internationals like Thomas Hitzlsperger and Matthew Upson are among those still without a club.

And top agent Barry Silkman said many players were in for "a big shock".

He added: "It's proving very difficult this summer. There's not much money out there at all.

"There are some very, very good players out there who still don't have anything lined up - it's unbelievable."

Silkman highlights Germany midfielder Hitzlsperger as an example.

The 29-year-old is without a club after his West Ham contract expired this summer.

Silkman, who works with Hitzlsperger's lawyer, claims the German was "offered a deal by Sunderland at the start of July, maybe a bit before that ... (but) his lawyer said 'I think we will get a better deal'.

Lots of players are going to have to take what's there. There's no money about. When you look at Spurs, nobody has arrived. That tells you everything"

"Now he will find a club, but nowhere near the terms Sunderland offered, not even within 30% or 35% of the wages they were offering."

It seems Hitzlsperger is not alone.

Silkman cites the example of Upson: "When you look at him, an England international, without a club, it makes you realise that things are tough.

"Lots of players are going to have to take what's there. There's no money about. When you look at Spurs, nobody has arrived. That tells you everything."

But why are conditions so tough? Silkman thinks the rule limiting Premier League squads to 25 - a regulation introduced at the start of the 2010-11 campaign - is still having an impact.

Fellow agent Rachel Anderson agrees: "Clubs are reducing the size of their squads and are increasingly looking for home-grown players. They want English and British players - as encouraged by Fifa - but many of them are not tried and tested so it's often a false economy."

YOU CAN GET THEM FOR FREE XI
GK: Richard Kingson
RB: Stuart Parnaby
LB: Jlloyd Samuel
CB: Matthew Upson
CB: Sol Campbell
MD: Jason Koumas
MD: Boudewijn Zenden
MD: Thomas Hitzlsperger
CF: James McFadden
CF: Marcus Bent
CF: John Carew

However, she says some household names have unrealistic demands: "Players with Premier League and Championship experience will often still be available because they have astronomical wages.

"Clubs would snap them up if they were available for £20k per week. But it's the £40k, £60k, £80k players who will remain on the list.

"They obviously don't want to take a drop in salary but they will do as the days get shorter. At the end of the day, 99% of players in my experience just want to play."

That dose of reality may be something one of her big-name clients - whose identity she will not reveal - will be forced to accept.

Anderson described him as being "out-of-favour at his Premier League club where he is on £4m a year".

More deals are likely to go through over the next few weeks, not least because of the way players' contracts work.

Newcastle released former England international Campbell this summer
Simon Barker, a senior executive at the PFA, said that while contracts typically expire on 30 June, players are entitled to an extra month's severance pay unless they sign for a new club by the end of July.

Former Wales and Blackburn midfielder Robbie Savage told 5 live: "If I didn't sign for another club, even though I was retiring, I was entitled to another payment which I've just received on 29 July.

"That's why we see free transfers waiting until 1 August to sign for other clubs.

"I think it's great! I put on Twitter, jokingly, that this was my last ever pay packet and that I was going to go out and buy a Lamborghini!"

But Barker, a combative midfielder who played in the top flight for QPR at the dawn of the Premier League, insists life is tough for many of his members.

"There might have been a slight increase this year in the number of out-of-contract players," he said.

"It's a very unnerving time being out-of-contract and not being sure if there is a club out there for you."

[Madstad to Nadderud]

[quote="The Prisoner"] There are loads of Reading rejects on there (Alan Bennett, Joe Gamble, Lloyd Owusu, Bas Savage etc) as well as the likes of Lee Bowyer, Kevin Phillips and Keiron Dyer who are past it and/or too injury prone (?!).

Lloyd Owusu!!! He must be about 52 years old by now?! I thought Joe Gamble was still doing ok for Cork City. Surprised with Alan Bennett because he did a good job for Brentford not so long ago. Ricky Newman is probably still looking for a contract!

[SouthDownsRoyal]

gonna bump this as this is where our new signing(s) - if there are any - are coming from. Know South down Royal will love that.

And WTF did Giles Barnes sign for Doncaster for?!

Marcus Bent, Sol Campbell, Darren Carter, Tom Cruise, Craig Fagan, Jason Koumas, James mcFadden, Stuart Parnaby and Boudewijn Zenden all still showing as available (tho some of the other players listed I know have signed for new clubs, so don't shoot me if this is wrong).

Knowing out look we will end up with Tamer Tuna.

http://www.givemefootball.com/pfa-transfer-list?name=FullName&page=1 if you want to look through the list

well there wont be any signings so that makes this thread pointless

[andrew1957]

There are loads of Reading rejects on there (Alan Bennett, Joe Gamble, Lloyd Owusu, Bas Savage etc) as well as the likes of Lee Bowyer, Kevin Phillips and Keiron Dyer who are past it and/or too injury prone (?!).

Lloyd Owusu!!! He must be about 52 years old by now?! I thought Joe Gamble was still doing ok for Cork City. Surprised with Alan Bennett because he did a good job for Brentford not so long ago. Ricky Newman is probably still looking for a contract!

Alan Bennett - now Captain of Cheltenham for 2011/12
Lloyd Owusu (only 34 - agree staggeriong as I thought he was about 40!) is playing in Cyprus
Joe Gamble released by Hartlepool and now playing for Limerick
Bas Savage - just signed for Northampton
Ricky Newman (aged 41) now playing for Cranleigh FC

[Madstad to Nadderud]

Alan Bennett - now Captain of Cheltenham for 2011/12
Lloyd Owusu (only 34 - agree staggeriong as I thought he was about 40!) is playing in Cyprus
Joe Gamble released by Hartlepool and now playing for Limerick
Bas Savage - just signed for Northampton
Ricky Newman (aged 41) now playing for Cranleigh FC

Interesting update Andrew1957. I didn't even know that Joe Gamble had played for Hartlepool! Back in Ireland again as well!! Strange career he's having yet interesting all the same. Can't believe Bas is still landing contracts!!! Not surprised about Ricky Newman as I don't think he'll ever stop playing. He was good for Reading.