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To get back on topic:

 

If Nicolson, Clark and Hart (or any combination of the aforementioned) don't get picked up by anyone during the window then you'd better not lose your passports in Munchen.

 

These fuckers will be playing out of their skins for the next 6 months hoping to land a better option.

 

:thumbsup:

 

I like your thinking dude. Like giving Viagra to Fidel Castro ?

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Latest on Hart and Clark:

 

PLYMOUTH CLOSE IN ON A DONS DOUBLE SIGNING

 

08:50 - 09 January 2008

 

Chris Clark and Michael Hart are preparing to open talks with Plymouth Argyle as the English Championship club closes in on a £375,000 deal for the Aberdeen duo.

 

Paul Sturrock's side had a £175,000 bid for Hart accepted on Monday night but the defender will not be short of other offers from English clubs and is not certain to sign.

 

The initial offer for Clark was rejected but an increased offer of £200,000 for the midfielder has been prepared and the Dons are expected to give him permission to begin negotiations about a January switch to Home Park once confirmation of the figure has been received.

 

Clark and Hart have both turned down new Pittodrie contracts, unhappy with the financial packages available to them.

 

Barry Nicholson has also turned down the terms put forward by the Dons, while Zander Diamond is considering the latest proposal from Aberdeen.

 

Director of football Willie Miller said: "I've been speaking to all four of these players for some time now.

 

"Michael Hart, Chris Clark and Barry Nicholson have rejected the offers on the table. Zander Diamond has asked for a couple of days to think over the offer but he is pretty positive about wanting to stay. I'm very hopeful we will have a positive outcome as far as Zander is concerned."

 

Miller has confirmedPreston have also expressed an interest in Hart, although no bid has been lodged.

 

Clark and Hart will substantially increase their earnings if they opt to join Plymouth. The pair are not among the highest-paid players on the Pittodrie playing staff but Miller is confident they would not be able to better themselves elsewhere in Scotland.

 

He said: "The offers we have made are very good. In Scotland, outside the Old Firm and Hearts, they would be hard to match.

 

"In the three-and-a-half years since I came to the club and Jimmy was appointed, I have managed to persuade the board to increase the football budget by £1million year on year. That will continue for the next three-and-a-half years.

 

"As far as investment in the football budget is concerned, there has been a substantial commitment by the club."

 

The revenue from this season's Uefa Cup run and the £1million sale of RussellAnderson to Sunderland in the summer has not been enough to put the Dons on a level playing field with teams south of the border.

 

Miller said: "If an English club comes in for one of our players we cannot compete - that is a fact of life and I don't apologise for it. The fans have to take on board the fact Championship clubs can pay double what we can.

 

"I don't blame the players in any way if they get a better offer. I certainly don't blame a player for trying to look after his family and his financial future. In Scottish terms we have made very good offers but in English terms we are blown out of the water."

 

If Hart, Nicholson and Clark do not secure immediate transfers they willremain part of the first-team plans at Pittodrie until they walk away under freedom of contract in the summer.

 

Calderwood said: "Supporters have to realise outside of Rangers, Celtic and Hearts there are clubs in the English Conference who pay more than the rest of the teams in the SPL.

 

"Aberdeen Football Club has to be here for the next 100 years and the directors have to look after that. We are all talking the same way - we are very disappointed the players will be leaving but the club can only do so much.

 

"They are all great lads so they will be part of my plans for as long as they are here. They are very good professionals as well as very good players. It was the same with Markus Heikkinen and Kevin McNaughton. We didn't want to lose them either but never doubted their commitment to the club."

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I'm off to book a train ticket to Plymouth with Clark's name on it. Plymouth hand promptly in mouth.

 

Can't argue with what has been said in that article. Its a shitty situation but that's the reality of it. Doesn't look good for other players (like Miller etc) though as, from what Barry Nic is saying, it looks like the club are actually tightening the budget rather than offering a little bit more on top.

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I'm off to book a train ticket to Plymouth with Clark's name on it. Plymouth hand promptly in mouth.

 

Can't argue with what has been said in that article. Its a shitty situation but that's the reality of it. Doesn't look good for other players (like Miller etc) though as, from what Barry Nic is saying, it looks like the club are actually tightening the budget rather than offering a little bit more on top.

 

I am struggling to understand this "belt tightening" response from the club. We have just made a shit load of cash and we are now suddenly offering LESS!?!?!?!

 

What the fuck? :hammer:

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I am struggling to understand this "belt tightening" response from the club. We have just made a shit load of cash and we are now suddenly offering LESS!?!?!?!

 

What the fuck? :hammer:

 

I guess at some point we have to address two facts.

 

We have an enormous debt to reduce somehow.

We were operating at a loss up until what has to be considered an exceptional revenue season this year. We cannot afford to project £1-2M revenue from Europe every season.

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I am struggling to understand this "belt tightening" response from the club. We have just made a shit load of cash and we are now suddenly offering LESS!?!?!?!

 

What the fuck? :hammer:

 

I can understand it from the point of view that we can't guarantee the income generated this season will be repeated for each of the next three seasons. But, you would think that although wages stay the same or a small increase, that bonuses would increase substantially.

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I guess at some point we have to address two facts.

 

We have an enormous debt to reduce somehow.

We were operating at a loss up until what has to be considered an exceptional revenue season this year. We cannot afford to project £1-2M revenue from Europe every season.

 

Especially if we keep letting players of Barry Nic's calibre leave.

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I can understand it from the point of view that we can't guarantee the income generated this season will be repeated for each of the next three seasons. But, you would think that although wages stay the same or a small increase, that bonuses would increase substantially.

 

Was there not some information (not sure how reliable) going about that the club had offered deals with bigger bonuses in place but had not improved the bottom line and that's why Hart and Clark were bailing ?

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I guess at some point we have to address two facts.

 

We have an enormous debt to reduce somehow.

We were operating at a loss up until what has to be considered an exceptional revenue season this year. We cannot afford to project £1-2M revenue from Europe every season.

 

The club's statements are at odds with that though Ajja. They seem to think it's (without interest payments) to be about break even.

 

But why do we need to address the debt now? Milne has saw fit to ignore it for his entire tenure.

 

Another fact that has to be borne in mind is the cost of replacing players like Hart, Diamond and Nicholson, especially Nicholson.

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Was there not some information (not sure how reliable) going about that the club had offered deals with bigger bonuses in place but had not improved the bottom line and that's why Hart and Clark were bailing ?

 

Really? You'd think they'd take the risk, it's not as if it's likely we're going to go back to the bad old days, is it? We're surely going to win more than we lose these days.

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I'm sure I read a quote from Gary Dempsey saying he'd probably have earned more at Aberdeen this season than he has at Yeovill because of UEFA cup bonuses etc.  And he could have been playing in some really big televised games.  

 

I know I'm preaching to the converted here, but the grass is not always greener.  So many young Aberdeen players over the years have learned that the hard way.

 

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I'm sure I read a quote from Gary Dempsey saying he'd probably have earned more at Aberdeen this season than he has at Yeovill because of UEFA cup bonuses etc.  And he could have been playing in some really big televised games.  

 

I know I'm preaching to the converted here, but the grass is not always greener.  So many young Aberdeen players over the years have learned that the hard way.

 

 

When they leave they will disappear. Of that there is no doubt only to re-appear at a lesser club than Aberdeen somewhere in Scotland. Swansea City most likely.

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