Ferret

Now there's an interesting one. An East Anglian club admitting to be on the trail of a strapping Scottish centre-half.

Or rather a strapping English centre-half playing in Scotland.

But, no, it's not Granty. This time it is Town boss Magilton taking the High Road north in a bid to plug the gaping hole in his own back line – the player in question being Hibs skipper and centre-half Rob Jones.

“We had heard a lot about him and I went to see what all the …

The point of this story might be quite simple.

Not that Christian Dailly isn't coming to Norwich – and why not? Rather the fact that the 33-year-old's exit to Southampton today means that it is now even more likely that no-one else from West Ham United is heading this way.

Do the numbers.

Before today and Curbs had six centre-halves to call on – Rio's kid brother Anton, the ex-Cardiff pair of James Collins and Danny Gabbidon, plus Matthew Upson and, …

The point of this story might be quite simple.

Not that Christian Dailly isn't coming to Norwich – and why not? Rather the fact that the 33-year-old's exit to Southampton today means that it is now even more likely that no-one else from West Ham United is heading this way.

Do the numbers.

Before today and Curbs had six centre-halves to call on – Rio's kid brother Anton, the ex-Cardiff pair of James Collins and Danny Gabbidon, plus Matthew Upson and, …

It's always a case of knowing where to look; for those little gems of news that can make all the difference.

And there it is, on the official FA website this afternoon.

Not just the fact that Dion Dublin was dismissed for violent conduct in last night's 2-0 defeat at The Valley, but beneath that lies the more significant line. 'Claim for wrongful dismissal received.'

Simple, matter-of-fact stuff, but proof that the legal wheels are …

Naturally enough, all eyes were on events at Wembley this evening.

But for those of you in this neck of the woods that have that No5 shirt saga close to their hearts, your time might have been better spent sneaking the odd glance or two up north – to the Robin Park Arena.

There's your starter for ten, tonight. Where exactly is the Robin Park Arena…

Well, it's in Newton. In the suburbs of Wigan. And it is where Wigan Ressies play their games.
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One little number to worth bearing in mind. And, no, for once it's not No5.

No, on this occasion the number concerned in the number 90.

Why 90? Well, that's the number of days that cover the length of an 'emergency' loan. Three months in theory; 90 days in practice.

At which point, people, run off to your nearest calendar and either work forward from today – and make it 85 days as Johnny X sits on his butt at Colney for the rest of the week …

As the gaffer continues to run the rule over Lucien Mettomo, here's two more interesting names – Harry Worley and Matthew Connolly.

Both names would – old Ferret suspects – have crossed the manager's desk at some stage of the summer; probably before Mettomo's name landed in his in-tray.

Now, there's a few of you who will already know all about both lads and why they might have attracted the manager's attention; there again, it's always been a …

Right now Granty and the boys need a little smile from Lady Luck – and events at Ninian Park last night might, just, have found her ladyship with a slight smirk on her face.

Because as we all sat there and watched the Canary physios go to work on Jason Shackell's right ankle as the massage mats came out at the end of normal time at Spotland, so away in Wales it was another ankle that was causing the alarm bells to ring – that of Bluebirds striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
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Time for old Ferret to put his hands up. It's one he missed; this one slipped under the radar.

Because just as everyone was fretting about Fozzy's latest injury blow, so there was Granty busily snapping up an experienced defender while no-one else was looking.

On-loan till the end of the season, too. So not a penny spent either.

Step forward the versatile Mark Birch – signed on-loan last week from SPL new-comers Gretna and there for all too see on the <a …

'Get Carter!' provided a headline or two in this neck of the woods today.

Well, someone has indeed got Carter – and he'll be at Deepdale on Saturday. Playing for Preston North End.

For as old Ferret wandered about tonight, there it was – on the Lancashire Evening Post website. As lifted, you suspect, from the official site. A big, Lilywhite welcome to Darren Carter…

And nothing undisclosed either – ?1.25 million. Or, at least, could be once every …

Hopes of a fresh, healthy face popping up before boys board the bus to Preston look to be on the wane, that's the word in Ferret's ears.

Darren Carter – once whispered to be heading back here if Safs had gone off to The Hawthorns – and United youngster Ryan Shawcross are the two names doing the rounds of late; neither seems immediately imminent as both Sir Alex and Baggies chief Tony Mowbray figure out what they're going to do this season.

Likewise old Curbs at …

Old Ferret has to be a bit careful about this. And it might be best if you digest the full implications well after your breakfast has gone down.

But the word on the street tonight is that that the proverbial has not so much hit the fan as the pan up at Colney and beyond – courtesy of a severe bout of food poisoning in the aftermath of the club's traditional pre-season barbecue.

The full details will become clearer in the morning. But it appears to have been quite a …

It almost made old Ferret's eyes water – even if he's never heard of it.

But there was something about a torn “rectus femoris” which sounded particularly painful. Not sure what it was; couldn't quite put my finger on it. Actually, not sure whether you'd want to put your finger on it.

Fair play to the boys on the Lancashire Evening Post, they did the decent and explained just what a rectus femoris is tonight – it's “one of the quadriceps muscles in the …

To be fair, it's been one of the biggest 'Who-is-it's?' of the summer.

That No 5 shirt. Just lying there. Empty.

Today the gaffer dropped the biggest hint yet that it will be filled come August 31; the lad concerned might even make it in time for August 11 and the trip to Deepdale.

Well, just.

“I've still got a defender on the list,” confirmed the City chief, as Rusty signed in at Carrow Road this lunchtime.

“I've …

Granty's anger was understandable; these days it seems it's always the club that is last to know when a player – or a coach – is about to get away.

And, likewise, as soon as anyone reveals that their mind is elsewhere, then fair enough – get them away.

As much as anyone tends to distance themselves from any Worthy quote these days, he had a thing about bad apples in barrels; picking it out before the rest of the barrel festers. And Granty is of exactly the same …

Our old pals at The Mirror this morning suggested that the 'Safs to Baggies…' story wasn't quite as done and dusted as everyone might have assumed.

According to them, there was a three-way tussle for his services going on with both Southampton and Charlton now locked in battle for his services.

All of which comes as news to one or two people behind the scenes who have yet to hear a peep out of either club.

No surprise there, to be honest.
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It's one of those stories that just niggles away under the surface. That every now and again, pops up. It never goes away. Always ringing in old Ferret's ears.

Usually, to be fair, it appears in the pages of the Birmingham Evening Mail and this weekend was no exception.

“Meanwhile, Norwich are expected to pave the way for Youssef Safri's move to Albion early next week,” was the Mail's verdict on a story that has bubbled quietly away for much of the …

This is where the fun really starts – Ferret's mates on the Birmingham Mail where today insisting that Baggies boss Tony Mowbray was having a little look at Youssef.

In fact, they slapped it in the paper this morning.

“The Baggies have also made an inquiry for Moroccan midfielder Safri. Although no official bid has gone in, there has been some discussion between the two clubs to establish the feasibility of a possible transfer,” said the story, on the official …

To be fair to my old mate James up on the Star, he had it nailed at the start of the week.

That every Blade in the city knew that Sharp was a done deal – if United ever decided they wanted the lad back.

The kid is a United nut; his family are all Reds. The Academy boss Ron Reid is this nigh-on father figure to him; with his 'apprenticeship' at Glanford Park served, it was time to bring the boy home.

They could sit there, watch everyone else run this way …

So, are we any closer to knowing, exactly, where our Billy is going to end up?

Nah, not really.

He could still end up at Norwich; he could still go to Wolves; he could, equally, stay firmly put up north as Sheffield Wednesday come a-calling again.

One thing is for certain – that his fate is now outside the hands of Scunthorpe United. It's not exactly a case of money in the bank; job done.

But chairman Steve Wharton can be reasonably confident …