Tottenham Hotspur

[BubbaZanetti]

I'm still gutted we missed out on Bentley

[Reece]

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate insists Stewart Downing should be aiming higher than Tottenham.

Downing requested a transfer from his hometown club earlier this week, as Boro rejected bids from Spurs for the England star.

The North London club have a long-standing interest in Downing, dating back to 2005, but they have never been able to prise the 24-year-old away from The Riverside.

Southgate, though, feels Downing should be looking at joining a bigger club than Spurs - who are currently embroiled in the Premier League relegation battle alongside Boro.
Higher

"I don't think it [a move to Spurs] is in the interests of our club or in the interests of Stewart," said Southgate.

"There's a certain level that, if Stewart's going to leave this club, he should be going to.

"I'm not knocking Tottenham but I've had plenty of conversations with Stewart about his future, the majority of which I'd prefer to keep private. He totally understands I want the best for him."

Southgate admits that if Boro had been more secure in the league, rather than fourth from bottom, they may have been more inclined to let Downing leave.

"If we'd had seven more points now it could quite possibly have been a different situation," said Southgate.

"I've had several talks with Stewart this week and he knows I can't put him first at the moment.

"Timing is the key issue. Stewart is such a talent, such an important player to us that, at this time of year, there's no way of replacing him.

"We'll be a lot more sympathetic to players at the end of the season when we have time to adjust plans but it's very difficult to bring replacements in during January."

Transfer troubles

Southgate also stressed it is not easy adding to his squad, as he appears to be trying to lure both Ben Watson from Crystal Palace and Newcastle's Alan Smith - in a possible swap deal with Mido - to the club.

"It's difficult to get players to come to a club such as ours and particularly when we're in our current league position," he said.

"There was a time when we paid the sort of wages very few other clubs were paying but that's not the case anymore."

:giggle:

[JohnDoe]

So Lennon's going to the bench?

[Baracus]

:spursare****e:

[Mike]

Where did that spurs fan go?

[Baracus]

Don't know?

I used to lurk back then. Loved the thread for the pisstaking also remembered a time, when anyone posted spurs, it would automatically come up as 'spursare****e'.

[Mike]

Don't know?

I used to lurk back then. Loved the thread for the pisstaking also remembered a time, when anyone posted spurs, it would automatically come up as 'spursare****e'.

Aye, those were the days

[Kenneth]

Don't know?

I used to lurk back then. Loved the thread for the pisstaking also remembered a time, when anyone posted spurs, it would automatically come up as 'spursare****e'.

[Chazza]

Bump

Real contenders???

Same points as Utd now and have to play City in a couple of weeks

I keep expecting them to blow up but they keep winning

[RichC]

at the moment you'd have to say yes. Can't quite believe they're up there but they are.

Gutted they've managed this as it really is 3 teams playing for 1 place at the moment

[Lee]

Hate them.

Hate their overrated players, their bent manager, cunty cocky fans, the hype surrounding them, their **** white shirts and that bollocks slow version of "Oh when the Saints".

Cunt of a club. I'd rather City win the league.

[Buzzo]

Hate them.

Hate their overrated players, their bent manager, cunty cocky fans, the hype surrounding them, their **** white shirts and that bollocks slow version of "Oh when the Saints".

Cunt of a club. I'd rather City win the league.

Totally I've always hated Spurs. I don't even really know why.

[Lee]

Keita was very much like Sissoko but technically better, Poulsen, yes, very much like Alonso.

****ing hell, no wonder this lad is now banned.

[Fosterbloke]

Unbelievable isn't it? They do have some great players though.

[spanky]

i'd love for them to win. In this age of austerity a team managed by a dodgy tax cheat winning the league over a billionaires plaything while elsewhere the "worlds richest club" is slowly swallowed in debt would be kinda ironic.