Can't think of a decent pun.....

Are we "burkeing the trend" of signing young hopefuls in favour of the finished article?

Given that our manager apparently has a famous father, could we soon have "Burke and heir" inflicting grisly deeds on their opponents?

Time for a lie down.

If he’s better than we already have in that position then sign him up.

We need goal scorers as we don’t have any up front

What has struck me as odd this season end (and it could be solely attributable to Sam Rush and his policy) is that we are this time publicly courting players whereas in the past we have refused to speak of any potential signings.

Is this a shift in policy due to the new man or merely a cynical extension of the drive to increase the ST Sales?

I think the only way to tell is going to be to see how many of these players we actually follow up on; easy to throw names about, a bit more difficult to stump up the readies.

Burke fits Clough’s criteria, small and Scottish. Another player who can look up to him.

There have been occasions previously where we have known in advance who the targets were - I remember Barker, Shackell and Keogh being drawn out as were Sammon and Jacobs, so it's not completely new. Clough is generally honest, and although he doesn't tend to broadcast who he's interested in, if someone asks him directly he replies.

So neither a shift in policy nor a cynical extension, I'm afraid. As you wisely point out, time will tell whether we actually sign them - it is insights like this that no doubt led to the POTY last year.

Great point 666.

I was having a look at the Derby Evening Telegraph online and surprised to read the names of our targets. Grant, Baptiste, Forsyth, Burke et el were all mentioned.

Did we not say it's best to keep our targets quiet until they've signed on the dotted line?

Wasn't Clough 'harping' on about Sammon only to be pipped by Wigan?

Out of the mentioned names I see Derby signing possibly two out of Grant, Baptiste and Forsyth.

I think this is simply to generate excitement in fans that the club are after more established players.

Isnt it simply a name that 666 can have printed on the back of his shirt?

BURKE
666

Looks good to me

Chris Burke has signed a 12 month contract extension. There goes one of the signings Derby were rumoured to be interested in. (Sighs of relief by teh GSE board?)

If only we would consider looking at technically gifted players from the lower Dutch, Spanish and Swedish leagues.

He's not just signed anything, Birmingham have invoked a 1-year option, which enables them to demand a transfer fee from moneybags vultures such as ourselves.