Duo eye Thornton bid

[robbie_B]

From skysports.com

Duo eye Thornton bid
by Alex Dunn - created on 21 Jun 2005


Sunderland midfielder Sean Thornton is being chased by Crystal Palace and Leeds United according to the player's agent.

The talented Irishman has been told he can leave the Premiership new boys by Black Cats boss Mick McCarthy and is now attracting strong interest from The Championship.

Thornton's agent, Lee Payne, has told skysports.com that contact has been made by both clubs - but that at present talks are at a preliminary stage.

''There is interest from Leeds and Palace but there has been nothing concrete as yet,'' Payne told skysports.com.

''We're just waiting now. They would be interested in signing Sean but we've left it now.

''They'd have to agree something with Sunderland first.

''I expect things to get going again in the next few weeks.''

Payne continued to reveal that interest had also been expressed from Spain - with Primera outfit Malaga also mooted as potential suitors.

Thornton has endured a rocky relationship with McCarthy but would be willing to fight for a first team spot next season - although at present this looks a highly unlikely scenario.

''Malaga are a definite,'' continued Payne. ''There has been interest from a few clubs but it's early days.

''At the moment he'd prefer to stay in England.

''Sean would like to stay at Sunderland, definitely.

''He went to see Mick (McCarthy) and asked if he could have another chance to prove himself but was told there was no point in coming back as he'd be training with the kids.

''He hasn't really got any other options left there. Now he wants to prove Mick wrong.''

[OwlsFan]

There is always some manager who thinks he can make a leopard change its spots.

[Stuttgart88]

''He went to see Mick (McCarthy) and asked if he could have another chance to prove himself but was told there was no point in coming back as he'd be training with the kids.

I wonder what he's done this time. At 22 you'd have hoped he'd be doing better than Palace or Leeds. Another one to consign to the "what might have been" ranks most likely :(

[dr_peepee]

It's unfortunate alright...

It's a very public statement to openly state that he wants to stay and he's willing to work for his place so maybe there's hope. It's almost humble . I mean if he's the self indulgent p!sshead as reported I would have expected a more indifferent attitude with some misplaced confidence that he'd just 'Make It' at another team.

On the face of it though McCarthy's response looks like he's heard all this before.

How much is left on his contract?? They might farm him out on loan til Christmas and monitor him for possible return. Wishfull thinking I know but hopefully something can be done. We need as many players in the top flight as possible.

[Donal81]

The guy sounds like an idiot but he's young enough to give it another go, who knows? He sounds like a talented chap. Infuriating, really. What age is he, 22, 23? If he cops himself on now, he could be in the Premiership within a year.

[dr_peepee]

Lads Richie Dunne turned it around...

[Qwerty]

This guy isn't worth posting about. End of story.
See ya Sean. :mad:

You were never 19? And he has a lot of cash in his pocket and his picture in the paper, people saying he is this that and the other. Not easy for kids keeping a level head. He isn't living in the real world - he is living in your fantasy world :D

[belfastwhite]

Hope he comes to Leeds we could be doing with some new young talent.

[SaucyJack]

Hope he comes to Leeds we could be doing with some new young talent.


what about Aaron Lennon?..oh wait....

[zinedineontour]

biggest waste of space ever.. given too many chances by mick glad to see him go..

[robbie_B]

No Leeds bid for Thornton
by Mark Buckingham - created on 22 Jun 2005
SKY SPORTZINE

Leeds United have shelved their interest in Sunderland midfielder Sean Thornton.

The Irishman has been placed on the transfer list at The Stadium of Light and had been courted by three clubs.

Spanish outfit Malaga, along with Championship duo Leeds and Crystal Palace, have been considering a bid for the 22-year-old.

But Leeds boss Kevin Blackwell has stated he is no longer looking to entice Thornton to Elland Road.

"We are not pursuing an interest in Sean Thornton," said Blackwell.

Thornton would be content to stay with the Premiership new boys but is completely out of favour with Black Cats boss Mick McCarthy.

The former Tranmere starlet will now have to wait to discover if Palace firm up their initial interest in his services.

[Stuttgart88]

Are Malaga in the Primera Liga?

Didn't Vinny Samways play for them, or was he at Las Palmas or someone like that?

[drinkfeckarse]

Las Palmas I'm sure.

[Stuttgart88]

Tks.

I just checked - Malaga came 10th in La Liga this year. That'd be a bit of a result for Sean but sounds a bit far fetched.

[SaucyJack]

If he went to Malaga his career is gonna really start to mirror fellow former Tranmere man Alan Mahon(Portugal isn't Spain, I know).

[Cosmo]

I used play on the same football team as sean as a kid and I won player of the year :eek: (under 13 i think). I was s**t, so dont know how that happened :D !!

His little brother was well better than him - i think he's with coventry now

[Fergie's Son]

He's 22 FFS. Give him a chance to turn it around! I've met 42 year olds who deserve another chance.

Hopefully, he'll land somewhere and get his head on straight. We need creative midfielders badly so more power to Sean!

[Stuttgart88]

so more power to Sean!

Yeah, more power to him for walking out on the Irish U21s because he couldn't be arsed.

Everyone deserves second chances - but does he have the cop on to get himself sorted before it's too late?

[zinedineontour]

He's 22 FFS. Give him a chance to turn it around! I've met 42 year olds who deserve another chance.

Hopefully, he'll land somewhere and get his head on straight. We need creative midfielders badly so more power to Sean!

how many chances are people entitle to do ? ffs he has been given too many chances at sunderland and really hope he comes back to the league of ireland to show him what he is missing .... might wake the fella up but doubt it ...

[Fergie's Son]

Heh. Well I just think people are writing him off too quickly. He's clearly made some mistakes and he is paying for them. Now is his chance to get on with his career and to see if he can learn from those mistakes.

[tetsujin1979]

Heh. Well I just think people are writing him off too quickly. He's clearly made some mistakes and he is paying for them. Now is his chance to get on with his career and to see if he can learn from those mistakes.

Agreed, but look at the amount of chances he's been already given. Hopefully he'll go somewhere with a disciplinarian as a coach, that will keep him on the straight and narrow.

[martin_rules_ie]

if he doesn't find a suitable club, he could always pursue a career in the hip-hop music industry

remember sean's freestyle in the dressing room after sunderland achieved promotion :D :D :D

[zinedineontour]

that was a classic have the dvd of the sunderland season and thats on it ... very funny ... he really has had all the chances he deserves and will struggle to find a decent club i feel .. pity cause if he kept on the straight and narrow could be a cracking player .. the last straw for him at sunderland was when he went out drinking with jeff whitley the night before the sunderland coventry game in march ! good one sean .. Sunderland town centre as well doesnt even try to hide the fact !! !

[robbie_B]

Read in the Irish post that Thornton is expecting his first child - time to grow up

[Colie]

Read in the Irish post that Thornton is expecting his first child - time to grow up
How will he play while he's pregnant?

[tetsujin1979]

Read in the Irish post that Thornton is expecting his first child - time to grow up
Andy Reid's girlfriend was pregnant when he was still in the youth team at Forest, he still credits this as what made him work hard to succeed at football

[robbie_B]

McCarthy adamant over duo


Mick McCarthy has told Michael Bridges and Sean Thornton that they are wasting their time in attempting to salvage their Sunderland careers after insisting that both players remain surplus to requirements at The Stadium of Light.

The transfer-listed pair returned to Wearside this week determined to change their manager's mind but, with McCarthy adamant that his decision to make them available for sale in May was the correct one, it seems neither has a chance of succeeding.

Bridges and Thornton will both remain in the North-East next week when the Black Cats head to North America for a 13-day pre-season tour which will include games in Vancouver, Seattle and Portland. And McCarthy, speaking to the Evening Chronicle, has urged them to use their time wisely by finding new employers.

"They will not be travelling to us to North America because they are both still available for transfer," he said. "It is up to them to train and to get themselves as fit as they can and get themselves new clubs, that is what is expected of them and there is no reason why that should not happen."

That McCarthy has refused to change his position on Thornton isn't surprising. But with his search for a striker still ongoing - the Black Cats boss has failed to sign Kenny Miller, Heidar Helguson and Ricardo Fuller so far this summer - Bridges returned for pre-season training with genuine hopes of winning a reprieve.

It seems he will not be given the chance to do so. But with both players still under contract - Bridges until next summer, Thornton until 2007 - a lack of interest in the pair could prove problematic.

"We have had no great interest in them, a couple of phone enquiries but that is all," said a manager who hopes the situation will be resolved before he returns from North America on 25 July. "If we come back and they are still at Sunderland I will deal with it."

[Eirambler]

He always was a stubborn git wasn't he!

I still think Thornton could come good though but the only way it'll happen is if he's forced down a level from Sunderland this summer. That should put things into perspective for him.

[colster]

Thornton's gone to Doncaster

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=291068&cpid=11&CLID=&lid=5&title=Rovers+grab+Thornton&channel=league_1