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No Pompey response to Ritchie bid

7:00am Saturday 31st July 2010


TOWN chairman Andrew Fitton is close to giving up on Matt Ritchie, revealing he is not going to ‘hold his breath’ on landing the Portsmouth winger.

A bid for the 21-year-old, who spent six weeks on loan at Swindon last season, was lodged three weeks ago, but Pompey are yet to offer any sort of response, and Fitton admits his patience is wearing thin.

The Advertiser understands Town have offered around £50,000 for Ritchie, which could eventually reach £200,000, and were hopeful of completing the move for the wide man before the start of the new season a week today.

They still believe a deal could be done, but having been met by a wall of silence from cash-strapped Portsmouth’s chiefs the chairman explained he will leave it up to the Championship club to make contact now.

“Everybody knows that we’ve got an offer in for him (Ritchie) but we still haven’t had a reply from Portsmouth,” Fitton told the Advertiser.

“It only takes two fingers to type no and three to type yes so it is frustrating, but eventually you just have to take silence as an answer in itself.

“We are past the point of chasing up the offer, and if they (Portsmouth) want to pick up the phone to us then of course we will talk about Matt Ritchie. But I am not going to keep phoning them.

“He is now somebody I’m not going to hold my breath for. We want him, but it has taken so long and we want an answer.”

Swindon are in need of a winger as they look to further bolster their ranks with the 2010/11 campaign just around the corner, and Ritchie would provide competition for Alan O’Brien and David Ball on the left flank, as well as being comfortable operating on the right if needed.

It is believed manager Danny Wilson is also attempting to find an experienced centre-back and another striker, with trialist Thomas Dossevi expected to get some game time against Forest today.

The Togo international striker, 31, is a free agent having left French side Nantes in the summer and Wilson has been assessing him in training this week.

Meanwhile, fellow trialist Fabio Ferreira has returned to Portugal after failing to secure a deal.


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Your Say YourSTFC

avo, swindon says...
7:22am Sat 31 Jul 10

So matt ritchie is target number 3 0f 4, who is the 4th I wonder?

With a CB an intended target according this report, that would make 5th target. Interesting.

Thoughts on who they might be?

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batch, says...
7:46am Sat 31 Jul 10

I'm sure with Pompey having someone of Andronikou's calibre looking after the purse strings its only a matter of time before they get back to us. And Ritchie will be a 27 year old in his prime by then.

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A Tax Payer, Peatmoor says...
7:46am Sat 31 Jul 10

My work colleague is a S/T holder at pompey. He told me a while ago that it was unlikely that we or anyone else would get Matt Richie. Basically Pompey are down to the bare minimum of playing staff needed to fulfill this seasons fixtures which I'm let to believe is circa 20. That said HMRC have challenged the recent CVA agreement in court on the last day of the (i think) 40 day consultation period, giving creditors 9p in the pound. It would appear that HMRC are playing hardball and are prepared to see their/our owed dues be lost and Pompey go out of business rather than accept the deal which has been voted through by the other creditors on a point of principal. Basically if this CVA is approved the legalities of Pompey's situation would have far reaching implications for HMRC by setting a precedent for other football clubs and I'm also led to understand that there are a number of "massive" clubs up against it with HMRC. So Pompey currently have a tranny embargo which won't be lifted until this matter has been resolved which I think comes up next week. So that's the reason why the club have not heard back from Pompey, they simply cannot let him go as it stands.

Long winded I agree but that's the reason which the article does not elude to and remember we have been on the wrong end of Pizz poor management in recent years so my sympathy lies with the fans of Pompey. The blame for their predicament lies with the Premier league and the host of dodgy owners of said club. So much for the "fit and proper" test.

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mallorca, Port De Soller Mallorca says...
8:09am Sat 31 Jul 10

The player himself said he did not want to move, and what with administration etc and relegation his chances of first team football in the Championship were secure at Pompey.
Cannot blame AF for trying, however to finalise our squad a replacement for BP and GG are needed.
No doubt AF and DW have several different options, would however forget the Pompey lad as it seems nothing is happening

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the wizard, witney says...
8:37am Sat 31 Jul 10

Correct me please if I am wrong, but, didn't Matt Richie declare some time ago that he wanted to stick with Pompey and battle it out to win a place in the team. Didn't he also say that he didn't want to be a loanee again with no indifference to Swindon, in the same statement.
While understanding his stance and also understanding Fittons frustration, you can also see that while Pompey are in all this turmoil, they are awaiting descissions that are out of their hands with HMRC, the courts, CVA and the rest of it. It will no doubt take time. Shame if we loose him, but time waits for no man Mr Fitton , so perhaps it is now our time to quickly look beyond this young man, or use one of your fingers to chase them up on the phone, maybe your index finger, or just the "bird" finger, the choice is yours !!!

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Stickshaker, Paris says...
8:42am Sat 31 Jul 10

It's good to hear that we are also after an experienced CB and a striker.
Reckon the Exeter CB is the one, no ideas on striker. As for Ritchie - worth a punt, also it'll wind up our webbed-fingered friends at St Mary's.

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SAPFanSTFC, Thatcham says...
8:49am Sat 31 Jul 10

A Tax Payer wrote:
My work colleague is a S/T holder at pompey. He told me a while ago that it was unlikely that we or anyone else would get Matt Richie. Basically Pompey are down to the bare minimum of playing staff needed to fulfill this seasons fixtures which I'm let to believe is circa 20. That said HMRC have challenged the recent CVA agreement in court on the last day of the (i think) 40 day consultation period, giving creditors 9p in the pound. It would appear that HMRC are playing hardball and are prepared to see their/our owed dues be lost and Pompey go out of business rather than accept the deal which has been voted through by the other creditors on a point of principal. Basically if this CVA is approved the legalities of Pompey's situation would have far reaching implications for HMRC by setting a precedent for other football clubs and I'm also led to understand that there are a number of "massive" clubs up against it with HMRC. So Pompey currently have a tranny embargo which won't be lifted until this matter has been resolved which I think comes up next week. So that's the reason why the club have not heard back from Pompey, they simply cannot let him go as it stands. Long winded I agree but that's the reason which the article does not elude to and remember we have been on the wrong end of Pizz poor management in recent years so my sympathy lies with the fans of Pompey. The blame for their predicament lies with the Premier league and the host of dodgy owners of said club. So much for the "fit and proper" test.
Then as businessmen live or die by their communication, shouldn't they be saying "No, go away....we'll let you know if anything changes!"?

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SAPFanSTFC, Thatcham says...
9:00am Sat 31 Jul 10

As meniotned on another thread - I'd totally forgotten about the Premier League 25 man squad rules. There has to be any number of experienced and quality players looking for 1st team football and any number of those could filter directly to or force good Championship players into League 1 in a few weeks.


If we can get throught the first two weeks with what we have and pick up a good centre back and either get Wardy back or a quality out and out striker then we'd be looking good

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umpcah, Chippenham says...
9:16am Sat 31 Jul 10

Stickshaker wrote:
It's good to hear that we are also after an experienced CB and a striker. Reckon the Exeter CB is the one, no ideas on striker. As for Ritchie - worth a punt, also it'll wind up our webbed-fingered friends at St Mary's.
It's good to hear that we are also after an experienced CB.......... We probably are but that news is only Tone`s BELIEF !

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avo, swindon says...
9:25am Sat 31 Jul 10

umpcah wrote:
Stickshaker wrote: It's good to hear that we are also after an experienced CB and a striker. Reckon the Exeter CB is the one, no ideas on striker. As for Ritchie - worth a punt, also it'll wind up our webbed-fingered friends at St Mary's.
It's good to hear that we are also after an experienced CB.......... We probably are but that news is only Tone`s BELIEF !
Lets hope its more than that!

Seriously though, if we're after a CB and CF, who would be your choice of targets people?

Realistic ones that is!

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mikek, Swindon says...
9:35am Sat 31 Jul 10

Move on AF there is little chance of hearing back from a club in so much turmoil and down to the bare bones on the playing side. As much as I thought Ritchie would be a fantastic signing its certainly not going to happen at the moment and didn't Notts County table a 100 k bid last season which got turned down. Only time will tell for Pompey as they are in battle with HMRC where it seems they could end up being wound up completely which would be tragic for football.

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louiscassius, Swindon says...
10:05am Sat 31 Jul 10

Well i think we have the beginings of a very good squad and i can only echo what everyone else has said, Well done AF and DW and in fact all the players and staff.

Could we have one big old bruiser CB and young thrusting Striker please to go!!!

Come on the Town!!!!!

PS. Lets get amongst the Forrest today and bang 3 past em!!!

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highland robin, Tain, Highland says...
10:27am Sat 31 Jul 10

Scottish Daily Mail suggests CB may be Josh Thomson of Celtic on loan....but then the Boys will hardly be able to put a team together if any more come to Wiltshire!!

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Tosh Man, in a bush says...
10:41am Sat 31 Jul 10

i thought this deal was a long time dead. I'd forgotten about it. David james looks like a right fool on the western daily press this morning

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avo, swindon says...
10:57am Sat 31 Jul 10

Numpty James needs to check his facts

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therock4u, Swindon says...
12:11pm Sat 31 Jul 10

Quote from Tosh Man: David james looks like a right fool on the western daily press this morning.
____________________
_______

I thought city wanted promotion.

Still if he plays for them like did for England at times then no chance.

I cant beleive all the fuss over him signing for them.

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Morei, Basingstoke says...
12:35pm Sat 31 Jul 10

highland robin wrote:
Scottish Daily Mail suggests CB may be Josh Thomson of Celtic on loan....but then the Boys will hardly be able to put a team together if any more come to Wiltshire!!
I can just hear the chants from the opposition fans if we keep getting more Celtic players;
"are you Celtic in disguise
are you Celtic
are you Celtic
are you Celtic in disguise!"
not that it would bother me if we ended up being promoted!
Also if your not aware yet, I've created a Swindon Fans league on the official fantasy league website.
Just go to
http://fantasy.premi

erleague.com/
Create a team & in the "leagues section, just type in 535706-143235
Already got several people involved & it's open to anyone, so please invite all your mates!

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bullyfish, somerset says...
1:14pm Sat 31 Jul 10

have just joined the league cheers the county ground heroes are marching on

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WiltshireLeppard, Swindon says...
2:51pm Sat 31 Jul 10

Josh Thompson would be a great addition to the squad.

He's down the pecking order at Parkhead, so a move to a team with real potential could whet his appetite.

We seem certain to lose out on Mike Chennels though - Brentford are very interested in him, and he's playing for them today against Crystal Palace.

Like to see Chris Barker signed to fill the left-back void and a centre-back (Jay DeMerit) and striker (John Grant or Steve Smith from Poole would be ideal). Great work from AF and DW!

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COME ON YOU MIGHTY REDS, SWINDON says...
5:43pm Sat 31 Jul 10

The Guy who does that talking on microphone before and during half-time said at half time that Ferry and Caddis will be Introduced next week.

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