The following players are out of contract at the end of 2000/01 season and could be approached as of today:
Arsenal - Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Lee Dixon, David Seaman
Aston Villa - None
Bradford - None
Charlton - Steve Brown, Clive Mendonca, Eddie Youds
Chelsea - Gianfranco Zola
Coventry - None
Derby - Lars Bohinen, Dean Sturridge
Everton - Richard Gough
Ipswich - John Scales
Leicester City - Stuart Campbell
Leeds - None
Liverpool - Gary McAllister
Manchester City - Ian Bishop, Richard Jobson, Tommy Wright
Manchester United - Denis Irwin, Teddy Sheringham
Middlesbrough - Craig Fleming, Robbie Mustoe
Newcastle United - None
Southampton - Richard Dryden, Hassan Kachloul, Matt Le Tissier
Tottenham Hotspur - Darren Anderton, Sol Campbell, Les Ferdinand
Sunderland - Nicky Summerbee
West Ham - Stuart Pearce
Players available on a free from Serie A include: Fernando Couto (Lazio), Laurent Blanc (Inter), Alessandro Costacurta (AC Milan), Daniel Fonseca (Juventus) and Luis Oliveira (Bologna).
Any you'd take from the Prem? Sheringham and Campbell are the only ones that appeal to me. Of course many of these will stay at their existing clubs anyway. At first I was pleased to see no Toon players out of contract in the summer. Then it struck me - when in the name of sanity will we be free of Brady, Hamilton and Serrant?

-- Anonymous, January 01, 2001

Answers

How about Sir Les for free? If he miraculously is cured of all current and future injuries, could be a good stand-in stiker/super- sub and also a good role model for the younger ones. But I suppose he's getting on a bit - though about the same age as Sheringham and Quinn. And he's had a good rest for the last 4 years at Spurs - only played maybe 30 games?

-- Anonymous, January 01, 2001

I read Shaka Hislop was stalling on a contract Dejavu

-- Anonymous, January 01, 2001

Good work there Dan - an interesting list - thanks.

I can't say I fancy any of these. It seems that clubs are getting their acts together these days under Bosman and few very valuable players become available, although Spurs are on a big loss there with Anderton and Campbell.

I'm pleased to note that we have none on the list and it is a stated policy of the club to re-sign the player in the season before he comes up for his Bosman. We did lose three in the first Bosman season but none since.

Hamilton, Brady and Serrant? Hmmm - TSM still has a lot to answer for....

BTW on the subject of "The Scottish Manager" I note that BBC2 were showing Macbeth (the play not the BBSer) tonight, and The Grauniad delicately referred to it as "The Scottish Play". A Tragedy I understand ...

-- Anonymous, January 01, 2001

Good list, but no one on that list that interests me much. Sol Cambell will be wanting 50k a week, other than that they are either all too old or in the same catergory as Des Hamilton, who by the way may be off to Tranmere in a 200k deal

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2001

The following interest me: Clive Mendonca, Gianfranco Zola, Denis Irwin, Teddy Sheringham, Hassan Kachloul, Matt Le Tissier, Darren Anderton, Sol Campbell, Les Ferdinand

BY the way, don't you think that Dennis Irwin should be referred to as 'Future Fat Bloke' - you just know he is going to balloon when he stops playing football, opens a pub etc etc

-- Anonymous, January 02, 2001

Talking of Sir Les, thi scab driver last night was telling me that he has given up betting on whether Sir Les will score - only whether he will knock himself out "because his head seems to have got bigger and he he knocks himself out regular on the pitch". Also, that jumbotron showed hsi face when he scored: took the edge off my adoration of him to see him looking so happy to have scored against us.

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2001

Mendonca's declared love of a certain PL team not so far from here disqualifies him entirely from even momentary consideration in my book. I just couldn't contemplate him pulling on a B&W shirt.
And yes I do know that Steve Howey and Steve Harper are closet mackems - but Mendonca also looks like one!!

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2001

Steve Harper a closet mackem! Really? Dare you only post this Clarky now that George Carman has departed to plead his case before the almighty?

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2001

Steve Harper is NOT a closet Mackem. He's from Easington which is probably more Mackem than Toon but at the training ground last year he hit a lass in a Reg Vardy shirt with a ball and said "I was going to apologise for hitting you but I'm not cos you're a Mackem"!

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

I really really thought the Bosman list was going to be

Bosman,

Bosman,

Bosman........

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

Increase the tablet intake, Gus!

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

The sad part Cliff it took me 2 days to post!

Its 9:41 pm, 20 deg C, and I am just finishing off a fine bottle of red, not an excuse you understand, just boasting!

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

Well Gus it's 1.45pm in a soaking wet Northampton.

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

Its a hard life DB, unlucky for us hiro and I have to put up with this day after day, until someone else wants a turn!!

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

Tranmere want to sign Hamilton "for a nominal fee" I'm sure NUFC could raise the money :-))

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

What I couldn't figure out in this Hamilton to Tranmere story is that John Aldridge contacted Bobby a few days ago regarding Des Hamilton, but is still waiting for a reply!

What is there to say Bobby? Yeh whatever, send us a quid and he's yours, would do for starters. Has Bobby lost Aldridge's number or something or is he too busy signing a Nationwide Journeyman to bother with offloading high wage earning underachiever?

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

I think he does not want to appear too keen to get rid of him.

Really you two I would love to play poker with you!

-- Anonymous, January 04, 2001

He's a better one: Leonardo of AC Milan is on a currently on a bosman free. Anyone want a Brazilian international left winger?

-- Anonymous, January 06, 2001

Leonardo - excellent player: will want big bucks, and there will be no shortage of offers.

-- Anonymous, January 07, 2001