LEFT BACK TO SIGN

From the Echo...


Alan Pardew is expected to make his first Saints signing today with former Brighton, Leeds and Ipswich full back Dan Harding in line for a free transfer move to St Mary’s.

The Daily Echo understands that the 25-year-old is currently under going a medical and, if there are no complications, the left back is set to be announced as Pardew’s first capture as Saints boss this afternoon.

Harding came through the youth ranks at Brighton, making his first team debut in 2002 and went on to make 67 appearances for the Seagulls before Leeds swooped for him in 2005, paying a fee ordered by a tribunal of £400,000 up front with a further £450,000 based on appearances.

After one season at Leeds, Harding was on the move again, this time to Ipswich as part of a swap deal involving Ian Westlake.

Harding made 73 appearances for Ipswich but last season had loan spells at Southend and Reading before being told his contract at Portman Road was not going to be renewed.

Harding’s signing gives Pardew a recognised first team option at left back with Joseph Mills and Lee Molyneux his only other choices in that position

From an Ipswich fansite....

Released full-back Dan Harding is set to become Alan Pardew’s first signing at Southampton. The ex-England U21 international is reported to be undergoing a medical at St Mary’s this morning.

After his release by the Blues at the end of the season, the 25-year-old had hoped to join former loan club Reading, but new manager Brendan Rodgers closed the door on a permanent deal which had seemed on the cards during Steve Coppell’s time in charge at the Madejski Stadium.

Harding subsequently joined Yeovil and Brighton on trial but is now expected to be confirmed as a Southampton player later today.

It's on BBC site too now.

It's been confirmed on OS, the deal is done.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1728581,00.html

Hopefully that is the first of many. Question is, where does that leave Joseph (Fish) Mills?

Mills impressed in a more forward role on Saturday?

Yes he did quite well and scored in a really superb move by blasting the ball past goalie into the net. If Harding is any good I'll accept him but as a matter of note I see that he can play anywhere on the left.

SFC Forever wrote:Yes he did quite well and scored in a really superb move by blasting the ball past goalie into the net. If Harding is any good I'll accept him but as a matter of note I see that he can play anywhere on the left.

Maybe Harding and Mills will be able to replicate the Bale/Skacel relationship down the left - when one bombs on ahead down the wing the other hangs back to provide defensive cover.

SaintJackoInHurworth wrote:

SFC Forever wrote:Yes he did quite well and scored in a really superb move by blasting the ball past goalie into the net. If Harding is any good I'll accept him but as a matter of note I see that he can play anywhere on the left.

Maybe Harding and Mills will be able to replicate the Bale/Skacel relationship down the left - when one bombs on ahead down the wing the other hangs back to provide defensive cover.

that would be to easy for us to do

Vegassaint wrote:

SaintJackoInHurworth wrote:

SFC Forever wrote:Yes he did quite well and scored in a really superb move by blasting the ball past goalie into the net. If Harding is any good I'll accept him but as a matter of note I see that he can play anywhere on the left.

Maybe Harding and Mills will be able to replicate the Bale/Skacel relationship down the left - when one bombs on ahead down the wing the other hangs back to provide defensive cover.

that would be to easy for us to do

??I don't understand?! Are you being sarcastic and suggesting that Saints never do the simple obvious thing? Or are you saying that it would be too easy and would not solve the problem? - i.e. that we need more complex moves?

Sarcasm Jack. Vegas was at several of the games I saw last season and all we ever seemed to do was flatter to deceive and then fall apart. He is as devastated as the rest of us about our decline. Last season we were incapable of doing anything simple because they were more or less taught the opposite.


I think we all feel, as you may have noted in the way I wrote those two up, that they might be able to do as you suggest. With James on the right with Murty we would be half way to solving one of last seasons worse problems. The defence was/is bad but all too often it has been left to cope on it's own as the midfield were non exhistant.