CONFIMRED - Akpan to Blackburn

[Platypuss]

A bit out of left field, but surely a good move for all concerned (maybe not Rovers).

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/13584294.Blackburn_Rovers_look_to_strengthen_with_move_for_Reading_midfielder_Hope_Akpan_on_cards/?ref=mac

[Lacoste]

Please!!!!!

[gazzer, loyal royal]

shouldn't command a place in the first team squad this season. norwood, tish, Williams, Quinn and the new guy ahead of him. Not good enough at this level, and always seems to put us under more pressure with his terrible first touch and backwards passing.

A new start might be best for everyone

[loyalroyal4life]

shouldn't command a place in the first team squad this season. norwood, tish, Williams, Quinn and the new guy ahead of him. Not good enough at this level, and always seems to put us under more pressure with his terrible first touch and backwards passing.

A new start might be best for everyone

You have put that very nicely...

In other words jog on Akpan

[PistolPete]

He's a terrible player and would be great to get his wages off the books even if it means cancelling his contract. However, is there a Blackburn youth player we could snap up as a player swap to get around their transfer embargo? Either that or 95% of any future (zero) transfer fee. Or Rhodes can't play against us when we play...

As an aside, I was trying to find out how much we signed him for and saw this:

The midfielder found himself in trouble with the FA for a homophobic tweet in 2011.
His Twitter account read: 'Gays all over the tele what’s wrong with Britain! Sorry I’m #FullyHomophobic.'

Homophobic is one thing, but to be so stupid as to put it on twitter?

[Pepe the Horseman]

Can't fault his effort, just not particularly good. Always looks too nervous. Hopefully a fresh start will do him some good.

[paultheroyal]

He's a terrible player and would be great to get his wages off the books even if it means cancelling his contract. However, is there a Blackburn youth player we could snap up as a player swap to get around their transfer embargo? Either that or 95% of any future (zero) transfer fee. Or Rhodes can't play against us when we play...

As an aside, I was trying to find out how much we signed him for and saw this:

The midfielder found himself in trouble with the FA for a homophobic tweet in 2011.
His Twitter account read: 'Gays all over the tele what’s wrong with Britain! Sorry I’m #FullyHomophobic.'

Homophobic is one thing, but to be so stupid as to put it on twitter?

Being homophobic is ok, just don't put it on twitter

[WoodleyRoyal]

Massive loss tbh, letting him go will be the biggest mistake the club has made since selling antonio. This will come back to bite us

[paultheroyal]

Massive loss tbh, letting him go will be the biggest mistake the club has made since selling antonio. This will come back to bite us

[MoorgateRoyal]

He's a terrible player and would be great to get his wages off the books even if it means cancelling his contract. However, is there a Blackburn youth player we could snap up as a player swap to get around their transfer embargo? Either that or 95% of any future (zero) transfer fee. Or Rhodes can't play against us when we play...

As an aside, I was trying to find out how much we signed him for and saw this:

The midfielder found himself in trouble with the FA for a homophobic tweet in 2011.
His Twitter account read: 'Gays all over the tele what’s wrong with Britain! Sorry I’m #FullyHomophobic.'

Homophobic is one thing, but to be so stupid as to put it on twitter?

I think he said at the time that someone had got hold of his phone and done it, and that all parties accepted this was the case. He was just told to be more responsible and not allow others on his phone. Whether or not that is true is open for interpretation, but he seems to be fairly intelligent otherwise and is always happy to do the community stuff for the club.

In terms of him moving on, I still think we look a little light in centre mid if he is taken out of the squad. It sounded like Tish was decent on Saturday, and hopefully he will have a big part to play this year, but I'm not sure if he is ready to play every game yet. So, unless we get someone else in, we will not have enough cover if we let Akpan go.

I think he's OK, but a bit too ponderous on the ball at times, and he isn't the type of player to push us towards the top of the table. I think he is adequate as cover, but he probably wants to play more and I imagine if we can get a fee for him, we might go for it. I'd still like to see a replacement come in, though.

[PistolPete]

He's a terrible player and would be great to get his wages off the books even if it means cancelling his contract. However, is there a Blackburn youth player we could snap up as a player swap to get around their transfer embargo? Either that or 95% of any future (zero) transfer fee. Or Rhodes can't play against us when we play...

As an aside, I was trying to find out how much we signed him for and saw this:

The midfielder found himself in trouble with the FA for a homophobic tweet in 2011.
His Twitter account read: 'Gays all over the tele what’s wrong with Britain! Sorry I’m #FullyHomophobic.'

Homophobic is one thing, but to be so stupid as to put it on twitter?

Being homophobic is ok, just don't put it on twitter

Did I say it was ok?

[PistolPete]

He's a terrible player and would be great to get his wages off the books even if it means cancelling his contract. However, is there a Blackburn youth player we could snap up as a player swap to get around their transfer embargo? Either that or 95% of any future (zero) transfer fee. Or Rhodes can't play against us when we play...

As an aside, I was trying to find out how much we signed him for and saw this:

The midfielder found himself in trouble with the FA for a homophobic tweet in 2011.
His Twitter account read: 'Gays all over the tele what’s wrong with Britain! Sorry I’m #FullyHomophobic.'

Homophobic is one thing, but to be so stupid as to put it on twitter?

I think he said at the time that someone had got hold of his phone and done it, and that all parties accepted this was the case. He was just told to be more responsible and not allow others on his phone. Whether or not that is true is open for interpretation, but he seems to be fairly intelligent otherwise and is always happy to do the community stuff for the club.

In terms of him moving on, I still think we look a little light in centre mid if he is taken out of the squad. It sounded like Tish was decent on Saturday, and hopefully he will have a big part to play this year, but I'm not sure if he is ready to play every game yet. So, unless we get someone else in, we will not have enough cover if we let Akpan go.

I think he's OK, but a bit too ponderous on the ball at times, and he isn't the type of player to push us towards the top of the table. I think he is adequate as cover, but he probably wants to play more and I imagine if we can get a fee for him, we might go for it. I'd still like to see a replacement come in, though.

Williams, Norwood, Tshibola, Fernandez (soon), Quinn and if needed Hector.

5 or 6 for 2 central midfield berths is fine.
We can't get a fee from Blackburn, they have a transfer embargo

[paultheroyal]

He's a terrible player and would be great to get his wages off the books even if it means cancelling his contract. However, is there a Blackburn youth player we could snap up as a player swap to get around their transfer embargo? Either that or 95% of any future (zero) transfer fee. Or Rhodes can't play against us when we play...

As an aside, I was trying to find out how much we signed him for and saw this:

The midfielder found himself in trouble with the FA for a homophobic tweet in 2011.
His Twitter account read: 'Gays all over the tele what’s wrong with Britain! Sorry I’m #FullyHomophobic.'

Homophobic is one thing, but to be so stupid as to put it on twitter?

Being homophobic is ok, just don't put it on twitter

Did I say it was ok?

Not sure hence the question mark.

[Coppelled_Streets]

[Platypuss]

Not sure hence the question mark.

[From Despair To Where?]

We can't get a fee from Blackburn, they have a transfer embargo

Which raises 2 possibilities:

1) It's the only way Blackburn would even consider singing him

or

2) We really would be taking the piss asking for one

[MoorgateRoyal]

5 or 6 for 2 central midfield berths is fine.
We can't get a fee from Blackburn, they have a transfer embargo

I am still not convinced we have enough depth. There's no guarantee we will bring anyone else in now, and we're likely to be using three in the middle instead of two.

So I still think we should keep hold of him for cover, until we can get some more players in.

[winchester_royal]

This is fabulous news. Lovely bloke, great athlete, woeful footballer. Didn't come close to fitting in with what Clarke is trying to do here. Might not get a fee but will free up wages for the two guys heading in from southern Europe.

Tish is already 2x the player Akpan ever was.

[TFF]

carving out a career as a pundit on Scottish football too

https://twitter.com/HopeAkpan/status/630676465672167424

[paultheroyal]