Fight For Purcell

by Scott Thornberry - 23rd April 2010

fight for purcell

As you would expect, it appears that several clubs are already taking an interest in Darlingtons leading goalscorer Tadhg Purcell.   The 25 year Irish striker joined The Quakers in January after Steve Staunton signed him up on a 6 month deal.  That deal obviously runs out during the summer and new Darlo manager Simon Davey is hoping to convince Purcell his future lies at the Arena.

But his efforts will be hampered with the news that several clubs from higher leagues, rumoured to include Preston and Swindon, have already expressed their interest.  Talking to The Northern Echo Davey 

"I have had a chat with him. He is a striker that has nine goals in half a season, so we would love to keep him," said Davey. "We would like to keep him next year but he will have other offers on the table.

 

"Every manager or every player wants to play in the highest league they can. It will be a difficult task but I am a manager who has a chairman that will make an offer to someone and give them a time limit.

"If they don't sign within that time limit we will get someone else. The conversation I have had with him tells me he is happy here and happy with the new structure. He enjoys himself here but he is ambitious. If it was a Conference club I think there is only one club he will come to and that is us.  If there are clubs in a higher league, what would anyone do? It would be difficult for any player to turn a higher offer down."

It did appear earlier in the week that Purcell could have played his last game for the club after picking up an ankle injury in Tuesday night draw away at Cheltenham.  And although having not trained with the team for the rest of the team throughout the week there is now the possibility he may yet feature agin before season end.

Comments

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PierremontQuaker03 - 23rd April 2010 07:15:09

Lets face it he will be gone - I'm not suprised Swindon are interested - as they took Charlie Austin from Poole town and he turned into a goal machine - so they are willing to take chances.
Purcell is ambitious - playing in the blue square wouild not be appealing at all.

Hope he is fit for Sat - so he can help relegate the Cod heads.

broadsexile - 23rd April 2010 07:51:23

You know when you're seeing a lot of a lass and you realise that it ultimately isn't going to happen? I think we're going to have to take the hint off Tadgh at some point...

Fetish_bob - 23rd April 2010 10:03:08

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4418&hilit=+purcell

From Feb.

Maybe it the only rumour to be correct from football rumours.

AndyPark - 23rd April 2010 10:18:26

He's as good as gone :( :thumbdown:

JABWootton - 23rd April 2010 12:02:21

Shoot me down in flames but I think he will stay for one more season
Just a hunch

isitouryear - 23rd April 2010 12:47:01

Its too much of a gamble for a striker such as him to stay. he knows he can score goals in the league and has attracted interest. Conference football is a different animal and what if he hits a bit of bad form or the chances arent falling to him. His chances then of developing and playing higher will be limited as another striker in form will be catching the eye by then. I love darlo as much as anyone but in my opinion I wouldn't stand in his way and would wish him all the best and thank him for his efforts (to be honest i think Davey is coming accross kind of like that anyway) I think he will be gone but obviously would be great to have him here and he is someone Davey can build a new team with him as an asset in

Quakerz - 23rd April 2010 14:11:34

Fetish_bob wrote:viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4418&hilit=+purcell

From Feb.

Maybe it the only rumour to be correct from football rumours.
More likely it is bollox like every other rumour on there, and as rumours sometimes do it gets repeated a few times, takes on an apparant air of truth and it gets in the papers. I'd be 90% certain that the Echo has no evidence to back up that Swindon are looking at him.

I know from personal experience how easy it is to start off plausible sounding rumours, set the rumour free with no evidence to back it up, and still see it on Sky Sports News a couple of days later!

cameron-darlo - 23rd April 2010 17:14:32

lets be honest, theres no way he'll be at darlo next season.. i reckon he'll go to a league 1 club.

DL5 - 23rd April 2010 17:40:53

JABWootton wrote:Shoot me down in flames but I think he will stay for one more season
Just a hunch
based on what?

Quakerz - 23rd April 2010 18:07:49

Based on the fact that Preston wanting him is just laughable and that Swindon was started by a Poolie on a dodgy rumours site.

DL5 - 23rd April 2010 18:35:26

Quakerz wrote:Based on the fact that Preston wanting him is just laughable and that Swindon was started by a Poolie on a dodgy rumours site.
Even if there's nothing in them rumours he won't stay, I think JABWootton's hunch may be more of a hope than an expectation.

I'd love Purcell to stay and fire us to glory next season (as if) but for Purcell himself he'll never have a better opportunity to kick on and find a decent Championship/ L1 club. 6 months ago he could only dream of something like that. I bet he'd snap the hands off the likes of Preston or Swindon even if it was to scrape about in the reserves.

Quakerz - 23rd April 2010 18:39:02

In order to move he has to have firm offers.

Preston and Swindon is just BS and idle chatter.

I'm not saying he WON'T go as surely several L2 clubs will fancy signing him on a free but I just don't see L1 clubs being that interested yet as he is hardly proven over a couple of seasons.

DL5 - 23rd April 2010 18:54:41

I'm 99.9% certain he'll go, I'm not really arsed who to, we should just stop thinking of him and factoring him into next season's plans, it's just not going to happen.

Jazz Maverick - 23rd April 2010 19:10:11

I fully expect him to find a league 2 club to play for next season, he's probably deserved a shot based on his performances for us this season. Can't see too many league 1 clubs being interested though, and the thought of a championship team taking him on is laughable to me.

wylam_rangers - 23rd April 2010 19:14:07

Simon Davey has put a contract on the desk today. It remains to be seen if it is tempting enough. 2 weeks to decide. Davey wants an answer by the end of the season so he doesn't end up wasting time.

DL5 - 23rd April 2010 19:33:39

wylam_rangers wrote:Simon Davey has put a contract on the desk today. It remains to be seen if it is tempting enough. 2 weeks to decide. Davey wants an answer by the end of the season so he doesn't end up wasting time.
Good, well we've got to try haven't we, I trust Davey's wise enough not to put all his eggs in one basket budget wise. No doubt we'll offer a raise on what he's been on, more than he's ever been on before probably but we won't be able to compete with what an established L1/L2 club has to offer.

mikey53 - 23rd April 2010 19:49:58

I think he will end up at Rochdale as we have been their feeder club for the last 3 years

mikkyx - 23rd April 2010 22:55:44

mikey53 wrote:I think he will end up at Rochdale as we have been their feeder club for the last 3 years
And look where it got them :(

RenoRaines - 24th April 2010 08:29:40

Am i the only person who thinks he is not that good? when looking for a decent striker you are looking for someone who can beat a man, set up chances for other players, hold the ball, get their head in at corners and be an all round threat. TP for me does not do all that. His goals have consisted of penalties and tap ins around the 6 yard box. That said he would do a job at bsp or l2 but he is not better than that. People are making out he is the next rooney or something.

Is he better than Pav? No. And what level is Pav at?

I suspect after some trading he be with us next season.

Quakerz - 24th April 2010 10:58:59

RenoRaines wrote:Am i the only person who thinks he is not that good?
No Reno, you aren't the only one. Currently, at best, he is a decent L2 striker. People talking about Championship moves are yet again overating our players and fantasising. Purcell for example would not get in Hartlepool's team.
when looking for a decent striker you are looking for someone who can beat a man, set up chances for other players, hold the ball, get their head in at corners and be an all round threat. TP for me does not do all that. His goals have consisted of penalties and tap ins around the 6 yard box.
I think you're being a bit harsh there. Purcell has scored 9 goals because he isn't afraid to shoot at 18 yards, and from what I have seen (admittedly not a lot) he can run at defenders and set chances up for others. To say his goals consist of penalties (he's only taken one!) and tap ins is harsh. His goal at Rotherham away, a one on one, his goal at Cheltenham a curler, one of his goals v Chesterfield was a free kick, and so on.
That said he would do a job at bsp or l2 but he is not better than that. People are making out he is the next rooney or something.
He's good enough for L2 and would rip the BSP a new asrehole.
Is he better than Pav? No. And what level is Pav at?

I suspect after some trading he be with us next season.
I hope you're right, he could really make a name for himself at that level.

RenoRaines - 24th April 2010 17:29:24

in the bsp he will do a job. i suspect recent news is his agent trying to push up the contract. He will be a darlo player next season?