Ghost of Clough

My understanding is that FA set compensation will be made up of an upfront fee, add-ons (ie appearances), and a sell-on percentage.
Based on historic cases, of players 20+, the upfront fee is typically at least 2/3rds of the total amount, and a 20% profit sell-on.
Two cases include our current players.
Collins - 18 months at Shrewsbury before joining Swindon aged 22. His compensation was worth £220k with a 20% sell-on.
Nelson - Released by Stoke at 16, then spent 8 years at Plymouth. After 246 games and 23 years of age, he moved from Plymouth in League 2 to join League 1 Oxford for a deal worth £280k.
Other cases:
Jed Steer - moved from Norwich to Aston Villa shortly before his 21st birthday in a deal which was potentially worth £950k with a 20% sell-on.
Danny Ings - signed for Burnley aged 19 for £1m, then moved to Liverpool at 23. The deal cost £8m (£6.5m upfront) with a 20% sell-on.
As I posted earlier, I'm led to believe FIFA rules mean we are guaranteed at least £810k.

If I remember correctly under FIFA rules we'll be due at least £810k (£90k per year at the club between the ages of 12 and 21). However, this is the minimum amount, with English FA having their own compensation rules. The fact Bird has captained the club and (by the end of the season) played over 200 games for our club, the fee we receive will be higher than the minimum.

Yes. Came off the bench at half time vs Wigan for his first league app of the season on Boxing Day 2019, then started all but 1 game through to the end of the season, playing the full 90 in 15 of the 21 (never less than 81 minutes). He also played in every cup game except the replay against Northampton.
His performances in that half season were so good he was voted the Player's Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season.

He's only played 4 league games since recovering from injury. 2 of those were in December when he scored 2 goals in the 5-1 win over Reading. From the limited times I've seen him, I would say he has a bit of pace and is strong in the air (hence his 2 set piece goals).
I can't see him getting game time, with Cashin, Nelson, Bradley, Forsyth and Nyambe all being senior options at CB, and other youngsters such as Cox having a higher ceiling. It's hard to judge where Warne ranks Bardell in comparison due to injuries.

The club are in discussions woth Bird over a new contract. Worst case is the optional year is activated and we sell him in the summer.

Only 20 apps and he'll have made more appearances than any other player for 36 years! 17 away from being in the all time top 20.

I know you’re a details person so wondered if you’d spotted something I’d missed.
It would certainly strengthen our situation if there was an option, just hadn’t seen it mentioned myself. I’m still hopeful he stays either way, or we get promoted and make a renewed attempt to keep him.

I swear I saw it reported. Maybe it was just my memory playing tricks with Cashin's option and Bird's situation being mentioned in the same post/article

Never sent off for us but did have a 3 game retrospective ban for the 'stamp' mentioned above.

It's also worth remembering that at 23, McGrath had just finished 7th in the Irish League

Defensively Cashin is miles ahead - twice as many tackles and interceptions, more clearances, more blocks, almost triple the number of aerial battles won. Offensively, he has almost four times as many shots, successfully dribbles twice as often (and never loses possession), and has twice as many key passes.
However, Cashin is dribbled past once a game whilst Edwards is every other game, commits twice as many fouls, and has a worse first touch. Cashin is also 2 years older.
When talking about what players excel at, someone being in the top 3 in the league at that skill would be just that. When looking only at the regualr starting CBs, Cashin excels at: tackling, interceptions, clearances, blocks, shots, dribbling, challenging in the air, and key passes. That's right... he's in the top 3 for all of those categories! He does get dribbled past more than any other regular starting CB though. Edwards excels at not fouling people, best first touch, and passing (short and long). On the other hand, he's weak at attacking set pieces, and doesn't challenge in the air

Thanks to the link from @Jubbs in another thread, here are graphs to compare the players I identified with others in their league
Left Wing Backs


Central and Attacking Midfielders





 
Wingers

Defensively Cashin is miles ahead - twice as many tackles and interceptions, more clearances, more blocks, almost triple the number of aerial battles won. Offensively, he has almost four times as many shots, successfully dribbles twice as often (and never loses possession), and has twice as many key passes.
However, Cashin is dribbled past once a game whilst Edwards is every other game, commits twice as many fouls, and has a worse first touch. Cashin is also 2 years older.
When talking about what players excel at, someone being in the top 3 in the league at that skill would be just that. When looking only at the regualr starting CBs, Cashin excels at: tackling, interceptions, clearances, blocks, shots, dribbling, challenging in the air, and key passes. That's right... he's in the top 3 for all of those categories! He does get dribbled past more than any other regular starting CB though. Edwards excels at not fouling people, best first touch, and passing (short and long). On the other hand, he's weak at attacking set pieces, and doesn't challenge in the air

I think it’s people taking Warne’s pre match comments about Bird having a contract offer on the table that he’s yet to sign and running with that as “Bird has refused to sign it”.
Further comment then stirred up by Rosenior’s pre-match press conference for Hull in which he said he’s really excited about a deal they have lined up and hope to announce on or before Saturday, but he ended the press conference saying midfield isn’t a priority area they’re looking to strengthen when asked specifically about Bird, mentioned respecting Bird and the club. Noise from my City supporting mates is that they’re in for Ryan Kent and some lad from Burnley. 

Only fit enough for 33 games in all competitions last season, scoring 6 and assisting 3 in the league. He's been more reliably available so far this season (missed just 2 games), but his record isn't good enough to earn a L1 move at this time (6 goals and 1 assist)

Defensively Cashin is miles ahead - twice as many tackles and interceptions, more clearances, more blocks, almost triple the number of aerial battles won. Offensively, he has almost four times as many shots, successfully dribbles twice as often (and never loses possession), and has twice as many key passes.
However, Cashin is dribbled past once a game whilst Edwards is every other game, commits twice as many fouls, and has a worse first touch. Cashin is also 2 years older.
When talking about what players excel at, someone being in the top 3 in the league at that skill would be just that. When looking only at the regualr starting CBs, Cashin excels at: tackling, interceptions, clearances, blocks, shots, dribbling, challenging in the air, and key passes. That's right... he's in the top 3 for all of those categories! He does get dribbled past more than any other regular starting CB though. Edwards excels at not fouling people, best first touch, and passing (short and long). On the other hand, he's weak at attacking set pieces, and doesn't challenge in the air

I consider that to be a harsh judgement of Sibley, as he and Thompson typically press better than any of our other mids, even if he has a tendency of giving away a high number of fouls as a result. Taking this game as an example, he made 3 tackles, interceptions and blocks (and 2 fouls), whilst Bird, Hourihane and Thompson made a combined 3 defensive actions (and 1 foul). In fact, when looking at overall defensive actions this season, Sibley is our 2nd best midfielder behind Fornah.
He's also better than everyone else for open play attacking contributions. He has more shots and key passes than any other player (Thompson and Bird are 2nd and 3rd), whilst he's only a fraction behind Thompson and Fornah for attempted dribbles. As yesterday showed, Sibley's set pieces are just as dangerous as Hourihane's.

The other major difference is Azaz was played as a left sided forward last season (in their 3421). This season he's the most advanced of the midfield 3 (433). Boro have robbed Villa though - there's no way he should cost as little as £2m.

The team with the most crosses in the league?

The team with the most crosses in the league?

The team with the most crosses in the league?

In reference to playing 4 at the back, Warne has talked about his struggles deciding whether to play 3 in midfield and 1 forward or sacrificing a bit of control to add more goal threat by switching to 2 in midfield and 2 up front. Warne can't get that balance right with the current squad, so I can see him using this game as an opportunity to switch to 352 to get what he perceives at the best of both worlds, especially since We'll lose the defensive solidity of Nyambe for at least a month. We switch to 3 at the back at some point in almost every game anyway, so the players should be able to adapt to it quickly.

Good to know that you'd be content with dropping points against Fleetwood, Burton, Lincoln and Cheltenham, but I won't be. We don't have a divine right to beat those sides, but a side competing for automatics definitely should be beating them.

Good to know that you'd be content with dropping points against Fleetwood, Burton, Lincoln and Cheltenham, but I won't be. We don't have a divine right to beat those sides, but a side competing for automatics definitely should be beating them.

Good to know that you'd be content with dropping points against Fleetwood, Burton, Lincoln and Cheltenham, but I won't be. We don't have a divine right to beat those sides, but a side competing for automatics definitely should be beating them.